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Shorttail conger (Rhynchoconger nitens) — Congridae

Shorttail conger

Rhynchoconger nitens
Family: Congridae

The Shorttail conger (Rhynchoconger nitens) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–104.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The shorttail conger is a conger eel (Congridae) of the continental slope in the western Atlantic. The species grows to about 50 cm and has a slender, eel-like, silver-grey 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 Shorttail conger?

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

Where does the Shorttail conger live?

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

How big does the Shorttail conger get?

The Shorttail conger grows to a maximum of about 40 cm. On average the species is around 30 cm.

Is the Shorttail conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Shorttail conger is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Glanzende snavelkongeraal sourced
English name
Shorttail conger sourced
Scientific name
Rhynchoconger nitens
Family
Congridae
Other names
Needletail conger verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Average length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
104.0 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 Rhynchoconger

More from the family Congridae

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