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Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) — Congridae

Taylor's garden eel

Heteroconger taylori
Family: Congridae

The Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 48 cm.

Length
47.9 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5–15 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

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Description

Taylor's garden eel is a garden eel (Congridae) from coastal waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 48 cm and has a very slender, snake-shaped body with fine markings. It lives in colonies in self-dug vertical burrows in sandy bottoms near reefs, from which it protrudes its forebody to snap zooplankton from the current; when threatened it withdraws fully into the burrow. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Taylor's garden eel?

The Taylor's garden eel has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Taylor's garden eel live?

The Taylor's garden eel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

How big does the Taylor's garden eel get?

The Taylor's garden eel grows to a maximum of about 48 cm.

Is the Taylor's garden eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Taylor's garden eel 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

Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) — Congridae — 2
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) — Congridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) uwkwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) — Congridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) uwkwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) — Congridae — 5
Andy (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist

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All data

Identification

English name
Taylor's garden eel sourced
Scientific name
Heteroconger taylori
Family
Congridae

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
5 verified
Max depth (m)
15 verified
Natural range
Asia: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed.
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 Heteroconger

More from the family Congridae

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