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Graham's conger (Gnathophis grahami) — Congridae

Graham's conger

Gnathophis grahami
Family: Congridae

The Graham's conger (Gnathophis grahami) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
50–350 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia

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Description

The Graham's conger is a conger eel (Congridae) of the continental slope in the southwest Pacific around Australia. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a slender, eel-like, greyish body with a pointed snout, a large mouth and long, confluent dorsal and anal fins. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller of deeper water it shelters by day in sand or burrows and hunts small fish and crustaceans at night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Graham's conger?

The Graham's conger has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Graham's conger live?

The Graham's conger lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Oceania: Australia

How big does the Graham's conger get?

The Graham's conger grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Graham's conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Graham's conger is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Graham's conger (Gnathophis grahami) — Congridae — 2
Amanda Hay (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — AM

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All data

Identification

English name
Graham's conger sourced
Scientific name
Gnathophis grahami
Family
Congridae

Appearance

Size class
Medium
Max length (cm)
30
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Rounded

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
50 verified
Max depth (m)
350 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates
Social behaviour
Solitary
Territorial
No
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.

For anglers

Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Gnathophis

More from the family Congridae

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