Gorgasia

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Gorgasia
Heteroconger at Shedd Aquarium.jpg
Gorgasia preclara
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Congridae
Subfamily: Heterocongrinae
Genus: Gorgasia
Meek & Hildebrand, 1923
Type species
Gorgasia punctata
Meek & Hildebrand, 1923
Species

See text.

Gorgasia is one of the two genera that belong to the subfamily Heterocongrinae (common name: garden eels). [1] This genus is classified by the behavioral pattern of burrowing 75% of their bodies in the sandy substrate they live in and protruding their upper body into the water current above, giving the appearance that they are planted into the ground (origin of common name). This protruding behavior serves a multipurpose functionality to their survival. [2]

Contents

The first function serves as a method of collection of their prey. Most members of this genus prey on zooplankton floating in the passing current, while some species (i.e. G. hawaiiensis [2] ) will prey on small fish eggs. The second function of the burrowing behavior allows for avoidance of predation. Whenever in the presence of a predator, most commonly the Pacific Snake Eel Ophichthus triserialis , garden eels will retreat back into their burrows and hide. Similarly, during the night hours (non-light hours) when zooplankton populations are low, these eels will return to their burrows and cap them off while they sleep. [3]

Other key characteristics of this genus includes colonial living species, sometimes with a density of up to 40 individuals in a meter-by-meter territory, as well as a metamorphosis stage between the egg stage and adulthood. Colonial living aides in evasion of predators and plays a vital role in their sexual reproduction.

Species

There are 14 species that make up the genus Gorgasia. Each species is diverse in morphological patterning, hosting flat, spotted, freckled, and banded colorations, while still hosting some key defining morphology such as a short snout, large lips, large eyes, dagger shaped teeth, and a single fused anal, dorsal, and caudal ray fin. [4] These species range in length from the shortest being around 40 cm and the longest around 120 cm and have a body cavity typically staying around 10 millimeters in diameter.

The currently recognized species in this genus are: [5] [6]

Species and characteristics
SpeciesGeographically foundDepth found (m)Max body length (cm)Described byYear described
Gorgasia barnesi Western Pacific Ocean5–20121 B. H. Robison & Lancraft 1984 [3]
Gorgasia cotroneii Western Indian Ocean---- D'Ancona 1928 [7]
Gorgasia galzini (speckled garden eel)South Western Pacific Ocean17–5353 Castle & J. E. Randall 1999 [8]
Gorgasia hawaiiensis (Hawaiian garden eel)Central Pacific Ocean (Hawaiian Coast)11–5360J. E. Randall & Chess 1980 [3]
Gorgasia inferomaculata Eastern Atlantic Ocean---- Blache 1977 [9]
Gorgasia japonica Western Pacific Ocean30100 T. Abe, Miki & M. Asai 1977 [10]
Gorgasia klausewitzi (Klausewitz's garden eel)Indian Ocean170–22575 Quéro & Saldanha 1995 [11]
Gorgasia maculata (whitespotted garden eel)Western Pacific Ocean25–4870 Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfeldt,1959 [12]
Gorgasia naeocepaea Central Pacific Ocean (Hawaiian Coast)10–2475 J. E. Böhlke 1951 [13]
Gorgasia preclara (splendid garden eel)Indo-Western Pacific Ocean18–7540 J. E. Böhlke & J. E. Randal1981 [13]
Gorgasia punctata (dotted garden eel)Eastern Pacific Ocean--50 Meek & Hildebrand 1923 [14]
Gorgasia sillneri Red Sea / Indian Ocean--84Klausewitz1962 [12]
Gorgasia taiwanensis Northwestern Pacific Ocean14–2274 K. T. Shao 1990 [15]
Gorgasia thamani Central Pacific (Hawaiian Coast)14–15119 D. W. Greenfield & Niesz 2004 [3]

Habitat and geography

Gorgasia

This genus is situated near the tropics, residing in warmer waters on continental shelves, typically near coral reefs. During their life cycle, this genus will spend their larval stages in the epipelagic portion of the ocean until they become juveniles. [3] At this time, they will swim down to the sandy substrate of the benthic zone and burrow themselves. The species belonging to this genus vary in the depths at which they are found on the continental shelf. A majority of the species are found between 10–20 meters with some being found as deep as 220 meters [11]

The map to the right shows this genus is widespread across the globe with a high concentration around the Southwestern Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, with other populations found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean around Latin America and the Eastern Atlantic in the Gulf of Guinea.

Reproduction and life span

Garden Eels in Bali clustering their burrows during spawning Gorgasia barnesi (Garden eels).jpg
Garden Eels in Bali clustering their burrows during spawning

Adults will reproduce sexually with each other. When time for breeding, adults in genus Gorgasia will increase the density of their colonial living until their burrows begin to overlap one another. Males will compete for proximity to a female's burrow, often biting at each other's body and face and in rare instances mortally wounding one another. [3]

Leptocephalus form of garden eel young LeptocephalusConger.jpg
Leptocephalus form of garden eel young

Garden eels are oviparous and practice external fertilization. This means that a female will expel her eggs into the surrounding substrate and they will be fertilized by the male secreting his sperm onto them. Then, when fertilized, eggs will float to the epipelagic zone of the continental shelf where they will mature and hatch into the larval stage of development called leptocephalus. These larvae will be translucent, a camouflaging technique for the open ocean in order to avoid predation until they are able to mature more. [4]

When almost one year of age, the juveniles will begin to form their morphological colorings and will swim to the benthic zone and build their burrows. At this point they are sexually mature and will begin the cycle over again. Although there is variability between the species of this genus, average longevity of life is estimated at 6 years of age for garden eels with the range spanning from 4 years to 10 years. [2]

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References

  1. ↑ Pauly, Daniel; Froese, Rainer (2014-09-15), "Fisheries Management", eLS, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, doi:10.1002/9780470015902.a0003252.pub3, ISBN   9780470015902, S2CID   214668133
  2. 1 2 3 Donham, Emily; Foster, Michael S.; Rice, Marc R.; Cailliet, Gregor M.; Yoklavich, Mary M.; Hamilton, Scott L. (April 2017). "Natural History Observations of Hawaiian Garden Eels, Gorgasia hawaiiensis (Congridae: Heterocongrinae), from the Island of Hawai'i". Pacific Science. 71 (2): 135–147. doi:10.2984/71.2.3. ISSN   0030-8870. S2CID   89719503.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Robison, Bruce H.; Lancraft, Thomas M. (1984-05-01). "Gorgasia barnesi (Congridae: Heterocongrinae), a New Garden Eel from the Banda Sea". Copeia. 1984 (2): 404. doi:10.2307/1445198. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1445198.
  4. 1 2 Raju, Solomon N. (1974-06-13). "Distribution, Growth and Metamorphosis of Leptocephali of the Garden Eels, Taenioconger sp. and Gorgasia sp". Copeia. 1974 (2): 494–500. doi:10.2307/1442540. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1442540.
  5. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Gorgasia". FishBase . April 2012 version.
  6. ↑ WoRMS.
  7. ↑ Coifmann, Isabella (January 1936). "Alcuni Misidacei nuovi raccolti dal Prof. L. Sanzo nella crociera della R. N. Ammiraglio Magnaghi al Mar Rosso (1923–24)". Bolletino di Zoologia. 7 (1): 83–88. doi:10.1080/11250003609427856. ISSN   0373-4137.
  8. ↑ Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific: New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. 2005-11-01.
  9. ↑ FJS; Blache, J.; Cadenat, J.; Stauch, A. (1971-09-03). "Clés de Détermination des Poissons de Mer Signáles Dans L'atlantique Oriental (Entre le 20e Parallele n. et le 15e Paralleles.) Faune Tropicale". Copeia. 1971 (3): 581. doi:10.2307/1442469. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1442469.
  10. ↑ HARDMAN, GRAHAM (2015), "Japanese Gardens and the Japanese Garden Society in the UK", Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits, Vol. IX, Renaissance Books, pp. 28–38, doi:10.2307/j.ctt1s17p5s.8, ISBN   9781898823278
  11. 1 2 WICKEL, Julien; PINAULT, Mathieu; GRONIER, Michael; CLAMAGIRAND, Etienne (2018). "Analyse des modules tests pour les piles du viaduc de la nouvelle route du littoral (Océan Indien, île de La Réunion)". XVèmes Journées, la Rochelle. Editions Paralia: 497–504. doi: 10.5150/jngcgc.2018.058 . ISBN   9782359210200.
  12. 1 2 Fricke, Hans W. (2010-04-26). "Ökologische und verhaltensbiologische Beobachtungen an den Röhrenaalen Gorgasia sillneri und Taenioconger hassi (Pisces, Apodes, Heterocongridae)". Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie. 27 (9): 1076–1099. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1970.tb01918.x. ISSN   0044-3573.
  13. 1 2 Bohlke, J. (1951-03-21). "A New Eel of the Genus Taenioconger from the Philippines". Copeia. 1951 (1): 32–35. doi:10.2307/1438047. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1438047.
  14. ↑ Meek, Seth E.; Hildebrand, Samuel F. (1923). The marine fishes of Panama. by Seth E. Meek and Samuel F. Hildebrand. Publication. Vol. 15. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.2887.
  15. ↑ Moran, Robbin C. (1990). "A New Species of Polypodium (Polypodiaceae) and Two New Species of Hypolepsis (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mesoamerica". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 77 (4): 845–850. doi:10.2307/2399676. ISSN   0026-6493. JSTOR   2399676.
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