garden eel
The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but species are also found in warmer parts of the Atlantic Ocean (including the Caribbean) and East Pac ...
s. Congers are valuable and often large
food fish
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ing ...
es, while garden eels live in colonies, all protruding from the sea floor after the manner of plants in a garden (thus the name). The family includes over 180 species in 32 genera.
The
European conger
The European conger (''Conger conger'') is a species of conger of the family Congridae. It is the heaviest eel in the world and native to the northeast Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea.
Description and behavior
European congers have an ...
, ''Conger conger'', is the largest of the family and of the
Anguilliformes
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 stag ...
order that includes it; it has been recorded at up to in length and weighing .British Conger Club
Congrids are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas around the world. Clear distinguishing features among congrids are few; they all lack scales, and most possess
pectoral 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 ...
s. They feed on crustaceans and small fish, and unlike some other eels, do not migrate to breed.
Genera
Family Congridae
* Subfamily Bathymyrinae
** ''
Ariosoma
''Ariosoma'' is a genus of marine congrid eels.
Species
Currently recognized species in this genus:
* '' Ariosoma anago'' (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Silvery conger)
* '' Ariosoma anagoides'' ( Bleeker, 1853) (Sea conger)
* '' Ariosoma anale' ...
'' (27 species)
** ''
Bathymyrus
''Bathymyrus'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. It currently contains the following species:
* '' Bathymyrus echinorhynchus'' Alcock, 1889
* '' Bathymyrus simus'' J. L. B. Smith, 1965
* '' Bathymyrus smithi'' Castle
A cast ...
Parabathymyrus
''Parabathymyrus'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Species
There are currently 6 recognized species in this genus:
* '' Parabathymyrus brachyrhynchus'' ( Fowler, 1934)
* '' Parabathymyrus fijiensis'' Karmovskaya, 2004
* '' Parabath ...
'' (five species)
** ''
Paraconger
''Paraconger'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. It currently contains the following species:
* '' Paraconger californiensis'' Kanazawa, 1961 (Californian conger)
* '' Paraconger caudilimbatus'' ( Poey, 1867) (Margintail conger)
* '' ...
'' (seven species)
* Subfamily
Congrinae
The Congrinae are a subfamily of eels in the family Congridae.
Genera
* ''Acromycter'' Smith et Kanazawa, 1977.
* ''Bassanago'' Whitley, 1948.
* ''Bathycongrus'' Ogilby, 1898.
* ''Bathyuroconger'' Fowler, 1934.
* ''Blachea'' Karrer et Smith, ...
** ''
Acromycter
''Acromycter'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Species
There are currently five recognized species in this genus:
* '' Acromycter alcocki'' ( C. H. Gilbert & Cramer, 1897)
* '' Acromycter atlanticus'' D. G. Smith, 1989
* '' Acromyc ...
'' (five species)
** ''
Bassanago
''Bassanago'' is a genus of marine congrid eels.
Species
There are currently four recognized species in this genus:
* '' Bassanago albescens'' ( Barnard, 1923) (Hairy conger)
* '' Bassanago bulbiceps'' Whitley, 1948 (Swollen-headed conger eel ...
'' (four species)
** ''
Bathycongrus
''Bathycongrus'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Species
There are currently 22 recognized species in this genus:
* ''Bathycongrus aequoreus'' ( C. H. Gilbert & Cramer, 1897)
* ''Bathycongrus bertini'' (Poll, 1953)
* ''Bathycongrus ...
Blachea
''Blachea'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Species
There are currently two recognized species in this genus:
* '' Blachea longicaudalis'' Karmovskaya, 2004
* '' Blachea xenobranchialis'' Karrer Karrer is a surname. Notable peopl ...
'' (two species)
** ''
Castleichthys
''Castleichthys'' is a genus in the conger eel family, Congridae. It contains the single species ''Castleichthys auritus'', the eared conger. The type specimen was found in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia
Australia, off ...
'' (one species)
** ''
Conger
''Conger'' ( ) is a genus of marine congrid eels. It includes some of the largest types of eels, ranging up to 2 m (6 ft) or more in length, in the case of the European conger. Large congers have often been observed by divers during t ...
'' (14 species)
** ''
Congrhynchus
''Congrhynchus talabonoides'' is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of its genus. It is only found in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republ ...
Congrosoma
''Congrosoma evermanni'', or the Evermann's conger, is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of its genus. It is only found in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamà ...
'' (one species)
** ''
Diploconger
''Diploconger polystigmatus'', or the headband conger, is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of its genus. It is only found in the Indian Ocean off the western Pacific Ocean at depths of 37–215 meters.
References
Poeciloconger
''Ariosoma kapala'' (common name - mottled conger) is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels).Promyllantor'' (three species)
** ''
Pseudophichthys
''Pseudophichthys splendens'', the purple-mouthed conger, is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of its genus. It is found in the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oce ...
'' (one species)
** ''
Rhynchoconger
''Rhynchoconger'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Species
* '' Rhynchoconger ectenurus'' ( D. S. Jordan & R. E. Richardson, 1909)
* '' Rhynchoconger flavus'' ( Goode & T. H. Bean, 1896) (Yellow conger)
* '' Rhynchoconger gracilior ...
'' (seven species)
** ''
Scalanago
''Scalanago lateralis'', or the ladder eel is a species of eel in the family Congridae
The Congridae are the family of conger and garden eels. Congers are valuable and often large food fishes, while garden eels live in colonies, all protruding ...
Heterocongrinae
The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but species are also found in warmer parts of the Atlantic Ocean (including the Caribbean) and East Pacif ...
(garden eels)
** ''
Gorgasia
''Gorgasia'' is one of the two genera that belong to the subfamily ''Heterocongrinae'' (common name: garden eels). This genus is classified by the behavioral pattern of burrowing 75% of their bodies in the sandy substrate they live in and protrud ...
'' (14 species)
** ''
Heteroconger
''Heteroconger'' is a genus of marine congrid eels. These small, slender garden eels live in groups where each individual has its own burrow. Usually, only the head and front half of the body is visible. The greatest species richness is in th ...
'' (21 species)
See also
*
List of fish families
This is a list of fish families sorted alphabetically by scientific name. There are 525 families in the list.
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A - B - C - D - E - F -
G - H - I - J - K -
L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
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