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Conger eel (Rhynchoconger flavus) — Congridae

Conger eel

Rhynchoconger flavus
Family: Congridae
LC · Least Concern

The Conger eel (Rhynchoconger flavus) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 150 cm.

Length
150 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
26.0–183.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The yellow conger is a conger eel (Congridae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has an elongate, eel-like, yellowish body with continuous dorsal and anal fins merging with the tail and a pointed snout. It inhabits coastal waters on soft bottoms, where by day it partly buries itself and at night forages. As a bottom predator it feeds on small fishes and crustaceans. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Conger eel?

The Conger eel has a snake-like body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Conger eel live?

The Conger eel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Conger eel get?

The Conger eel grows to a maximum of about 150 cm. On average the species is around 30 cm.

Is the Conger eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Conger eel is harmless to humans.

Is the Conger eel edible?

The Conger eel is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gele congeraal sourced
English name
Conger eel verified
Scientific name
Rhynchoconger flavus
Family
Congridae
Other names
Yellow Conger; Yellow conger verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
150.0 verified
Average length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
26.0 verified
Max depth (m)
183.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
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
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Rhynchoconger

More from the family Congridae

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