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Scheele's conger (Ariosoma scheelei) — Congridae

Scheele's conger

Ariosoma scheelei
Family: Congridae
LC · Least Concern

The Scheele's conger (Ariosoma scheelei) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
9.0–55.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Scheele's conger is a small conger eel (Congridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species reaches about 20 cm and has a slender, eel-like body with a continuous dorsal, caudal and anal fin margin. It is an uncommon, shy and cryptic species occurring on lagoon reefs and in sheltered bays, where it hides solitarily among coral and in crevices. It feeds on small bottom invertebrates and fishes. Owing to its retiring habits it is rarely seen and little is known about its ecology.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Scheele's conger?

The Scheele's conger has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Scheele's conger live?

The Scheele's conger lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Scheele's conger get?

The Scheele's conger grows to a maximum of about 20 cm. On average the species is around 14 cm.

Is the Scheele's conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Scheele's conger is harmless to humans.

Is the Scheele's conger edible?

The Scheele's conger is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Scheeles conger sourced
English name
Scheele's conger verified
Scientific name
Ariosoma scheelei
Family
Congridae
Other names
Scheele's conger; Tropical conger verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Average length (cm)
14.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight 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
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
9.0 verified
Max depth (m)
55.0 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
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. 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 Ariosoma

More from the family Congridae

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