The spotted garden eel is a species of heteroconger belonging to the family Congridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific.
Gorgasia is one of the two genera that belong to the subfamily Heterocongrinae. 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. This protruding behavior serves a multipurpose functionality to their survival.
The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of the 36 known species of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but can be found in warm ocean water worldwide. These small eels live in burrows on the sea floor and get their name from the behavior of poking their heads from their burrows while most of their bodies remain hidden. Since they tend to live in groups, the many eel heads "growing" from the sea floor resemble the plants in a garden. They vary in color and size depending on the species. The largest species reaches about 120 cm (47 in) in length, but most species do not surpass 60 cm (24 in). Garden eel colonies can grow as large as one acre in surface area and number up to several thousand individuals.
The Gilbert's garden eel, also known as the Gilbert's conger and the sharpnose conger, is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by James Douglas Ogilby in 1898, originally under the genus Congrellus. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including the Gulf of California, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia. It is a benthic and nocturnal species, and inhabits sand flats in reefs, bays and coves at a depth range of 1–100 metres. It burrows into sand during the day and emerges to forage during the night. Males can reach a maximum total length of 27 centimetres.
The large-eye conger is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Léon Vaillant and Henri Émile Sauvage in 1875, originally under the genus Congrogadus. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the northwestern and eastern central Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii and the Ladd Seamount. It typically dwells at a depth range of 2–420 metres, and leads a benthic, nocturnal lifestyle, burrowing into sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 38 centimetres.
The large-toothed conger is an eel belonging to the family Congridae. It was described by Léon Vaillant in 1888, originally as a species of the genus Uroconger.
The Barnes' garden eel is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Bruce H. Robison and Thomas M. Lancraft in 1984. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western Pacific Ocean, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. It dwells at a depth range of 5 to 20 metres, and inhabits sand substrates. Males can reach a maximum total length of 121 centimetres (48 in).
Gorgasia inferomaculata is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Jacques Blache in 1977. It is a non-migratory marine, tropical eel which is known from the Gulf of Guinea, in the eastern central Atlantic Ocean.
The Pacific spaghetti eel is a sand dwelling eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Tokiharu Abe, M. Miki and Minoru Asai in 1977. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the northwestern and southwestern Pacific Ocean, including Japan and New Zealand. It dwells at a maximum depth of 30 metres (98 ft). It is non-migratory, and inhabits sand flats near reefs. Males can reach a maximum total length of 100 centimetres (39 in); the diameter of the body is approximately 10 millimetres. Spaghetti eels will typically occur in large groups that can consist of hundreds of eels.
The whitespotted garden eel, also known as the Indian spaghetti eel, is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Wolfgang Klausewitz and Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt in 1959. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Western Pacific, including Maldives, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines, the Cocos Islands, Comoros, India, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. It dwells at a depth range of 25 to 48 metres, and lives in non-migratory colonies that form burrows on sandy slopes, usually near coral reefs. Males can reach a maximum total length of 70 centimetres (28 in).
Gorgasia naeocepaea, the freckled garden eel, is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by James Erwin Böhlke in 1951, originally under the genus Taenioconger. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean, including the Philippines and Indonesia. It is known to inhabit sandy regions, and dwells at a depth range of 10 to 24 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 75 centimetres (30 in).
The dotted garden eel, also known as the peppered garden eel, is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Seth Eugene Meek and Samuel Frederick Hildebrand in 1923. It is a nonmigratory tropical, marine eel which is known from the eastern central Pacific Ocean, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Males can reach a maximum total length of 50 cm.
The sharp-nose garden eel is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Shao Kwang-Tsao in 1990. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from Taiwan and southern Japan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is non-migratory, and dwells at a depth range of 14 to 22 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 74.1 centimetres (29.2 in). It can be identified by the shape of its snout.
Gorgasia thamani is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by David Wayne Greenfield and Sean Niesz in 2004. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Fiji, in the western central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 14 to 15 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 119 centimetres (47 in).
Heteroconger balteatus is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Peter Henry John Castle and John Ernest Randall in 1999. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea, in the western Indian Ocean. It is known to dwell at a minimum depth of 46 m (151 ft), and inhabits regions of current, where it forms burrows in sand. It enters its burrows tail-first. Females can reach a maximum total length of 33.1 cm.
The white-ring garden eel, also known as the Cape garden eel in Mexico, is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Garry I. McTaggart-Cowan and Richard Heinrich Rosenblatt in 1974, originally under the genus Taenioconger. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Gulf of California, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 20 m (66 ft), and inhabits sand sediments near reefs, where it forms burrows in nonmigratory colonies. Males can reach a maximum total length of 80 cm.
The enigma garden eel is a species of eel in the conger/garden eel family Congridae.
Taylor's garden-eel is a heteroconger belonging to the family Congridae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific.
Heteroconger tomberua is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Peter Henry John Castle and John Ernest Randall in 1995. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean, including Fiji and possibly New Caledonia, the Philippines, the Nicobar Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka. It is known to dwell at a depth of 36 m (118 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 42.8 cm.
Tricia's garden eel is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Peter Henry John Castle and John Ernest Randall in 1999. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Flores, Indonesia, in the eastern Indian Ocean. Males can reach a maximum total length of 49.6 cm (19.5 in).
