[4] It was described by Leonard Peter Schultz and Loren Paul Woods in 1949.

[5] It is a marine, tropical eel, which is known from the Indo-Pacific region, including the Chagos Islands, Hawaii, the Marquesan Islands, the Society Islands, Australia, and New Caledonia.

It dwells at a depth range of 2–23 m, and inhabits sand sediments in coral reefs.

It can reach a maximum total length of 35 cm.

[4] The Johnston snake eel's diet consists of crabs, prawns, and small finfish.