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Beach conger (Conger japonicus) — Congridae

Beach conger

Conger japonicus
Family: Congridae

The Beach conger (Conger japonicus) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 140 cm.

Length
140 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–140.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Beach conger is a conger eel (Congridae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 140 cm and has a robust, snake-shaped, greyish, scaleless body with a large mouth. As a nocturnal bottom predator it shelters in burrows and crevices by day and hunts fish, crustaceans and squid at night. It is a food fish; the strong jaws call for caution when handled. The fish poses no danger to swimmers.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Beach conger?

The Beach conger has a snake-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Beach conger live?

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

How big does the Beach conger get?

The Beach conger grows to a maximum of about 140 cm.

Is the Beach conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Beach conger is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Japanse zeepaling sourced
English name
Beach conger sourced
Scientific name
Conger japonicus
Family
Congridae

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
140.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Max depth (m)
140.0 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 Conger

More from the family Congridae

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