''Coloconger eximia'' is an

eel Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...

in the family

Colocongridae The Colocongridae, the worm eels or short-tail eels are a family of eels, containing a single genus, ''Coloconger''. Colongrids are found in tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and West Pacific oceans. They are bottom-dwelling fish, living i ...

(worm eels/short-tail eels).''Coloconger eximia''
at www.fishbase.org. It was described by

Peter Henry John Castle Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

in 1967, originally under the genus '' Ascomana''.Castle, P. H. J., 1967 (Aug.) ef. 770''Two remarkable eel-larvae from off southern Africa.'' Special Publication, Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University No. 1: 1-12, Pls. 1-2. It is a

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

, deep-water dwelling eel which is known from

Cape Peninsula The Cape Peninsula ( af, Kaapse Skiereiland) is a generally mountainous peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, in the southeastern

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. ''C. eximia'' has one of the largest known fish larvae, growing to at least 70 cm (27.5 in). Their

leptocephalus Leptocephalus (meaning "slim head") is the flat and transparent larva of the eel, marine eels, and other members of the superorder Elopomorpha. This is one of the most diverse groups of teleosts, containing 801 species in 4 orders, 24 families, ...

larvae are elongate, with a long, straight gut, a dorsal fin that originates in the latter half of the body, well-developed pectoral fins, and a long head.

References

Eels Taxa named by Peter Henry John Castle Fish described in 1967 {{Anguilliformes-stub