The common pike conger or pike eel (''Muraenesox bagio'') is a species of

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 ...

found throughout most of the Indo-Pacific. In Australia, it is known in the southwest, in Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country, and south to the coast of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. The common pike conger grows up to in length and in weight. A nocturnal predator, the common pike conger lives in

estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environmen ...

and near the shore to a depth of . A strong and muscular fish, the common pike conger is a delicacy in South East Asia and features in various dishes.

Breeding

In Australia, the females lay the

eggs Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...

off the coasts; the eggs take 9–10 weeks to hatch. A female can lay up to four million eggs in a single year.

References

External links

Pike eel
Fish of Asia Fish described in 1822 Muraenesocidae {{Anguilliformes-stub