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Common pike conger (Muraenesox bagio) — Muraenesocidae

Common pike conger

Muraenesox bagio

The Common pike conger (Muraenesox bagio) is a brackish-water fish of the family Muraenesocidae that grows up to 200 cm.

Length
200 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
1.0–100.0 m
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
May bite
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The common pike conger is a large pike conger (Muraenesocidae) from coastal, brackish and estuarine water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 2 metres and has an elongate, snake-shaped, brownish body with a large head and powerful jaws full of sharp, backward-pointing teeth. As a nocturnal predator it hunts fish, crustaceans and squid in turbid coastal and estuarine water. It is a food fish, but the biting jaws can inflict serious injuries; handle with care.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Common pike conger?

The Common pike conger has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Common pike conger live?

The Common pike conger lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Common pike conger get?

The Common pike conger grows to a maximum of about 200 cm. On average the species is around 150 cm.

Is the Common pike conger dangerous to humans?

The Common pike conger can bite, but is otherwise not dangerous to humans.

Is the Common pike conger edible?

Yes, the Common pike conger is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bruine snoekpaling sourced
English name
Common pike conger sourced
Scientific name
Muraenesox bagio
Family
Muraenesocidae
Other names
Common pike conger; Common pike eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
200.0 verified
Average length (cm)
150.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
May bite verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Muraenesox

More from the family Muraenesocidae

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