Heteroconger balteatus

Heteroconger balteatus
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anguilliformes
Family:	Congridae
Genus:	Heteroconger
Species:	H. balteatus
Binomial name
Heteroconger balteatus Castle & Randall, 1999

Heteroconger balteatus is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels). ^[2] It was described by Peter Henry John Castle and John Ernest Randall in 1999. ^[3] 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 (13.0 in; 1.09 ft). ^[2]

The species epithet balteatus refers to the white "belt" on the trunk of the eel. ^[2] Its diet consists of zooplankton. ^[4]

References

1. Tighe, K.; Smith, D.G.; McCosker, J. (2019). "Heteroconger balteatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T199416A2593041. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T199416A2593041.en . Retrieved 29 December 2021.
2. Heteroconger balteatus at www.fishbase.org.
3. Castle, P. H. J. and J. E. Randall, 1999 (Sept.) [ref. 24042] Revision of Indo-Pacific garden eels (Congridae: Heterocongrinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes No. 30: 1-52, Pls. I-III.
4. Food items reported for Heteroconger balteatus at www.fishbase.org.