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Toothy conger (Bathycongrus odontostomus) — Congridae

Toothy conger

Bathycongrus odontostomus
Family: Congridae

The Toothy conger (Bathycongrus odontostomus) is a saltwater fish of the family Congridae that grows up to 4 cm.

Length
4.3 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–886 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, Indonesia, Philippines

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Description

The toothy conger is a conger eel (Congridae) of deeper coastal and slope waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 40 cm and has a smooth, eel-like, grey-brown skin, large eyes and a broad mouth with prominent teeth. As a bottom-dweller of the deep water it hunts small fish and crustaceans. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Toothy conger?

The Toothy conger has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Toothy conger live?

The Toothy conger lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: Australia, Indonesia, Philippines

How big does the Toothy conger get?

The Toothy conger grows to a maximum of about 4 cm.

Is the Toothy conger dangerous to humans?

No, the Toothy 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

Toothy conger (Bathycongrus odontostomus) — Congridae — 2
Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF

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All data

Identification

English name
Toothy conger sourced
Scientific name
Bathycongrus odontostomus
Family
Congridae

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Max depth (m)
886 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, Indonesia, 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
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish.
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 Bathycongrus

More from the family Congridae

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