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Sand conger (Ariosoma anagoides) — Congridae

Sand conger

Ariosoma anagoides
Family: Congridae

The Sand conger (Ariosoma anagoides) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 51 cm.

Length
51 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
10.0–250.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The sand conger is a conger eel (Congridae) from shallow sand and mud water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 40 cm and has a smooth, eel-like, pale-brown skin, large eyes and a fairly blunt snout. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it lies partly buried in the sand by day and hunts small fish, crustaceans and worms by night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sand conger?

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

Where does the Sand conger live?

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

How big does the Sand conger get?

The Sand conger grows to a maximum of about 51 cm.

Is the Sand conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Sand conger is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Zand-congeraal sourced
English name
Sand conger sourced
Scientific name
Ariosoma anagoides
Family
Congridae
Other names
Big-eye conger; Sea conger verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
51.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
10.0 verified
Max depth (m)
250.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

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 verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Ariosoma

More from the family Congridae

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