Garden eels | |
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The spotted Heteroconger hassi and striped Gorgasia preclara | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anguilliformes |
Family: | Congridae |
Subfamily: | Heterocongrinae Günther, 1870 |
Genera | |
see text |
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. [1] [2] [3] 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). [1] [2] Garden eel colonies can grow as large as one acre in surface area and number up to several thousand individuals. [4] [5]
Hetercongrinae contains the follwoing two genera: [6]
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 from the sea floor after the manner of plants in a garden. The family includes over 220 species in 32 genera.
Heteroconger cobra, sometimes known as the cobra garden eel, is a species of garden eel of the family Congridae, found in the western Central Pacific from Honiara, the Solomon Islands to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The viviparous brotulas form a family, the Bythitidae, of ophidiiform fishes. They are known as viviparous brotulas as they generally bear live young, although there are indications that some species do not. They are generally infrequently seen, somewhat tadpole-like in overall shape and mostly about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in length, but some species grow far larger and may surpass 60 cm (2 ft).
The spotted garden eel is a species of heteroconger belonging to the family Congridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific.
Pagellus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the western Indian Ocean.
Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage and are usually predators.
Cynoponticus is a genus of marine ray-fiined fishes belonging to the family Muraenesocidae, the pike congers. The fishes in this genus are found in the Eastern and Western Atlantic Oceans and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, with a single parapatric species in each region.
Acromycter is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
Bathymyrus is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. It currently contains the following species:
Chiloconger is a genus of eels in the family Congridae.
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.
Paraconger is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. It currently contains the following species:
Bero elegans is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. This species grows to a length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) TL. It is the only known member of the genus Bero.
Vellitor is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. These fishes are found in seawedd beds in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Heteroconger congroides is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by Umberto D'Ancona in 1928, originally under the genus Leptocephalus. It is a marine, deepwater-dwelling eel which is known from the Kamaran Islands in Yemen, in the Red Sea, in the western Indian Ocean. It is known only from larvae, which are known from a depth of 522 m (1,710 ft).
The black garden eel is an eel in the family Congridae. It was described by James Erwin Böhlke and John Ernest Randall in 1981. It is a tropical, nonmigratory marine eel which is known from the western Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean, including Ambon (Indonesia), Negros (Philippines), and the Andaman Islands (India). It dwells at a depth range of 1–35 m. It leads a benthic lifestyle, and inhabits sand or mud, living solitary or in colonies. Males can reach a maximum total length of 53.7 cm (21.1 in).
Taylor's garden-eel is a heteroconger belonging to the family Congridae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific.
Cepolinae is one of two subfamilies of marine ray-finned fish belonging to family Cepolidae, the bandfishes.
Stichaeopsis is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the western North Pacific Ocean.
Kasatkia is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks or shannies. These fishes are found in the North Pacific Ocean.