''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Congrogadinae Congrogadinae is a subfamily of ray-finned fishes, one of four subfamilies that make up the family Pseudochromidae, these elongated fish are commonly called eel-blennies. Characteristics The species in the subfamily Congrogadidae have elongate ...

, the eel blennies, part of the

dottyback The dottybacks are a family, Pseudochromidae, of fishes which were formerly classified in the order Perciformes, but this has been revised and the family is regarded as of uncertain affinities, or ''incertae sedis'' within the Ovalentaria, a cl ...

family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

distribution.

Characteristics

The species in the genus ''Congrogadus'' differ from their other genera in the subfamily Congogadinae in that they do not have a spot on their shoulder, a similar spot beingloacted on the operculum. Their dorsal and

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

s have a higher number of rays than all the other species in the subfamily except for the species in the genus ''

Halidesmus ''Halidesmus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. They are found in the western Indian Ocean as far east as India, with one species exte ...

'' which can have up to 90 fin rays. Also compared to the related genera which may have three complete

lateral line The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelial ...

s, the species in ''Congrogadus'' have only have a single curtailed lateral line. In addition some species which are classified in the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

''Congrogadoides'' have the gill membranes fused to the isthmus. The gill membranes of the subgenus ''Congrogadus'' are not fused while the species in that subgebus and in the third, ''Pilbaraichthys'' possess a posterior otic sensory canal pore, which is believed to assist the fish in detecting motion.

Biology

''Congrogadus'' are secretive fish which hide among rocks and coral rubble and they occur from the surface down to . They feed mainly on crustaceans but larger specimens will take fish, and their large mouth enable them to swallow quite large prey. Most species of the subfamily are protogynous hermaphrodites but ''Congrogadus subducens'' appears to be different because the females greater than long have been observed to have small gonads, a feature which almost certainly means that they are not protogynous hermaphrodites. All of this subfamily lay eggs in a small clump. The eggs of species within ''Congragadus'' are a distinguishing feature of the genus as each egg is attached to a small hook which has a thin thread. When the egg mass begins to disintegrate the hook falls from the egg to be suspended underneath it by the thread. It is thought this allows the egg to attach itself to the substrate.

Distribution

The genus is found in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean and some species have rather restricted distributions while ''c. subducens'' has been claimed over a wide distribution from northern Australia through the

Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago (Indonesian/Malay: , tgl, Kapuluang Malay) is the archipelago between mainland Indochina and Australia. It has also been called the " Malay world," "Nusantara", "East Indies", Indo-Australian Archipelago, Spices Archipe ...

to Japan, although other sources state that it is endemic to Australia.

Species

The following species are classified as members of the genus ''Congrogadus'': * Subgenus ''Congrogadoides'' ** ''

Congrogadus amplimaculatus ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Characteristics The spec ...

'' ( Winterbottom, 1980) (Largespot eel blenny) ** ''

Congrogadus malayanus ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Characteristics The spec ...

'' (

Weber Weber (, or ; German: ) is a surname of German origin, derived from the noun meaning " weaver". In some cases, following migration to English-speaking countries, it has been anglicised to the English surname 'Webber' or even 'Weaver'. Notable pe ...

, 1909) (Malayan eel blenny) ** ''

Congrogadus spinifer ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Characteristics The spec ...

'' (Borodin, 1933) (Spiny eel blenny) * Subgenus ''Congradadus'' ** ''

Congrogadus hierichthys ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Characteristics The spec ...

'' D.S. Jordan & R.E. Richardson, 1908 (Sulu eel blenny) ** ''

Congrogadus subducens The carpet eel-blenny (''Congrogadus subducens''), also known as the green wolf eel or green wolf eel blenny, is a relatively large species of dottyback found in coastal parts of the Indo-West Pacific, including coral reefs, among rocks, seagrass ...

'' (Richardson, 1843) (Carpet eel-blenny) * Subgenus ''Pilbaraichthys'' ** ''

Congrogadus winterbottomi ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Characteristics The s ...

'' A.C. Gill, Mooi & Hutchins, 2000 (Pilbara eelblenny)

References

{{Taxonbar, From=Q2486714 Congrogadinae Taxa named by Albert Günther