European congers have an average adult length of 1.5 m (5 ft), a maximum known length of around 2.133 m (7 ft) (possibly up to 3 metres (9 ft 10 in) for the largest specimens),[2] and maximum weight of roughly 72 kg (159 lb),[3] making them the largest eels in the world by weight. They can be rivaled or marginally exceeded in length by the largest species of moray eel but these tend to be slenderer and thus weigh less than the larger congers.[4] Average specimens caught will weigh only 2.5 to 25 kg (5.5 to 55.1 lb).[5][6] Females, with an average length at sexual maturity of 2 m (6 ft 7 in), are much larger than males, with an average length at sexual maturity of 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in).[7]
The body is very long, anguilliform, without scales. The colour is usually grey, but can also be blackish. The belly is white. A row of small white spots is aligned along the lateral line. The head is almost conical, and slightly depressed. The snout is rounded and prominent, with lateral olfactory holes. The large gill openings are in the lateral position. The conical teeth are arranged in rows on the jaws. The dorsal and anal fins are confluent with the caudal fin. Pectoral fins are present, while ventral fins are absent.
Conger eels have habits similar to moray eels. They usually live amongst rocks in holes, or "eel pits", sometimes in one hole together with moray eels. They come out from their holes at night to hunt. These nocturnal predators mainly feed on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans, although they are thought to scavenge on dead and rotting fish, as well as actively hunt live fish.[8] Congers can be aggressive to humans, and large specimens can pose a danger to divers. [9]
Distributionedit
This species can be found in the eastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland to Senegal, and also in the Mediterranean and Black Sea[10] at 0–500 m of depth, although they may reach depths of 3600 m during their migrations.[11] It is sometimes seen in very shallow water by the shore, but can also go down to 1,170 m (3,840 ft). It is usually present on rough, rocky, broken ground, close to the coast when young, moving to deeper waters when adult.
Migration and reproductionedit
When conger eels are between 5 and 15 years old, their bodies undergo a transformation, with the reproductive organs of both males and females increasing in size and the skeleton reducing in mass and the teeth falling out.[12] Females appear to increase in weight and size more than the males.[citation needed] Conger eels then make migrations to spawning areas in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, "although the existence of one or multiple spawning grounds for the species remains uncertain".[13] The female conger eels produce several million eggs, and both the females and males die after spawning. Once hatched, the larval conger eels begin to swim back to shallower waters, where they live until they reach maturity. They then migrate to repeat the cycle.[14]
Galleryedit
Referencesedit
^Tighe, K. (2015). "Conger conger". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T194969A2369649. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194969A2369649.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^"'Record' seven-foot conger eel trawled off Plymouth in UK".
^"Conger conger". EOL Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
^LOH, K., Hussein, M. A. S., Chong, V. C., & Sasekumar, A. (2015). Notes on the Moray Eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of Malaysia with Two New Records. Sains Malaysiana, 44(1), 41-47.
^Charton, B., & Tietjen, J. (2009). The Facts on File dictionary of marine science. Infobase Publishing.
^Shapley, R., & Gordon, J. (1980). The visual sensitivity of the retina of the conger eel. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences, 209(1175), 317-330.
^Matić-Skoko, S., Ferri, J., Tutman, P., Skaramuca, D., Đikić, D., Lisičić, D., ... & Skaramuca, B. (2012). The age, growth and feeding habits of the European conger eel, Conger conger (L.) in the Adriatic Sea. Marine Biology Research, 8(10), 1012-1018.
^"Conger Eel". BritishSeaFishing.co.uk. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
^"Conger eel attack: Shocking picture of diver's injuries after two-metre creature bites chunk out of his face". 12 July 2013.
^"Conger conger". WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
^"Conger Eel". UK-Fish.info. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
^. Galway Atlantaquaria. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
^Correia, Alberto; et al. (24 April 2012). "Population structure and connectivity of the European conger eel (Conger conger) across the north-eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean: integrating molecular and otolith elemental approaches". Marine Biology. 159 (7): 1509–1525. doi:10.1007/s00227-012-1936-3. S2CID 85352160.
^"Conger Eel - Conger conger". Marlin.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
External linksedit
Media related to Conger conger at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to European conger at Wikispecies
Photos of European conger on Sealife Collection
October 28, 2023
european, conger, conger, conger, species, conger, family, congridae, heaviest, world, native, northeast, atlantic, including, mediterranean, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, chordata. The European conger Conger conger is a species of conger of the family Congridae It is the heaviest eel in the world and native to the northeast Atlantic including the Mediterranean Sea European congerConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder AnguilliformesFamily CongridaeGenus CongerSpecies C congerBinomial nameConger conger Linnaeus 1758 The Range of the European congerSynonymsAnguilla conger Linnaeus 1758 Anguilla obtusa Swainson 1839 Conger communis Costa 1844 Conger niger Risso 1810 Conger rubescens Ranzani 1840 Conger verus Risso 1827 Conger vulgaris Yarrell 1832 Leptocephalus candidissimus Costa 1832 Leptocephalus conger Linnaeus 1758 Leptocephalus gussoni Cocco 1829 Leptocephalus inaequalis Facciola 1883 Leptocephalus lineatus Bonnaterre 1788 Leptocephalus morrisii Gmelin 1789 Leptocephalus pellucidus Couch 1832 Leptocephalus spallanzani Risso 1810 Leptocephalus stenops Kaup 1856 Leptocephalus vitreus Kolliker 1853 Muraena conger Linnaeus 1758 Muraena nigra Risso 1810 Ophidium pellucidum Couch 1832 Ophisoma obtusa Swainson 1839 Contents 1 Description and behavior 2 Distribution 3 Migration and reproduction 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksDescription and behavior editEuropean congers have an average adult length of 1 5 m 5 ft a maximum known length of around 2 133 m 7 ft possibly up to 3 metres 9 ft 10 in for the largest specimens 2 and maximum weight of roughly 72 kg 159 lb 3 making them the largest eels in the world by weight They can be rivaled or marginally exceeded in length by the largest species of moray eel but these tend to be slenderer and thus weigh less than the larger congers 4 Average specimens caught will weigh only 2 5 to 25 kg 5 5 to 55 1 lb 5 6 Females with an average length at sexual maturity of 2 m 6 ft 7 in are much larger than males with an average length at sexual maturity of 1 2 m 3 ft 11 in 7 The body is very long anguilliform without scales The colour is usually grey but can also be blackish The belly is white A row of small white spots is aligned along the lateral line The head is almost conical and slightly depressed The snout is rounded and prominent with lateral olfactory holes The large gill openings are in the lateral position The conical teeth are arranged in rows on the jaws The dorsal and anal fins are confluent with the caudal fin Pectoral fins are present while ventral fins are absent nbsp Conger conger and a Mediterranean moray eel in one hole at the Protected Marine Area of PortofinoConger eels have habits similar to moray eels They usually live amongst rocks in holes or eel pits sometimes in one hole together with moray eels They come out from their holes at night to hunt These nocturnal predators mainly feed on fish cephalopods and crustaceans although they are thought to scavenge on dead and rotting fish as well as actively hunt live fish 8 Congers can be aggressive to humans and large specimens can pose a danger to divers 9 Distribution editThis species can be found in the eastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland to Senegal and also in the Mediterranean and Black Sea 10 at 0 500 m of depth although they may reach depths of 3600 m during their migrations 11 It is sometimes seen in very shallow water by the shore but can also go down to 1 170 m 3 840 ft It is usually present on rough rocky broken ground close to the coast when young moving to deeper waters when adult Migration and reproduction editWhen conger eels are between 5 and 15 years old their bodies undergo a transformation with the reproductive organs of both males and females increasing in size and the skeleton reducing in mass and the teeth falling out 12 Females appear to increase in weight and size more than the males citation needed Conger eels then make migrations to spawning areas in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic although the existence of one or multiple spawning grounds for the species remains uncertain 13 The female conger eels produce several million eggs and both the females and males die after spawning Once hatched the larval conger eels begin to swim back to shallower waters where they live until they reach maturity They then migrate to repeat the cycle 14 Gallery edit nbsp nbsp nbsp References edit Tighe K 2015 Conger conger IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015 e T194969A2369649 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2015 4 RLTS T194969A2369649 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Record seven foot conger eel trawled off Plymouth in UK Conger conger EOL Encyclopedia of Life Retrieved 11 May 2014 LOH K Hussein M A S Chong V C amp Sasekumar A 2015 Notes on the Moray Eels Anguilliformes Muraenidae of Malaysia with Two New Records Sains Malaysiana 44 1 41 47 Charton B amp Tietjen J 2009 The Facts on File dictionary of marine science Infobase Publishing Shapley R amp Gordon J 1980 The visual sensitivity of the retina of the conger eel Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B Biological Sciences 209 1175 317 330 Matic Skoko S Ferri J Tutman P Skaramuca D Đikic D Lisicic D amp Skaramuca B 2012 The age growth and feeding habits of the European conger eel Conger conger L in the Adriatic Sea Marine Biology Research 8 10 1012 1018 Conger Eel BritishSeaFishing co uk 29 June 2012 Retrieved 9 May 2014 Conger eel attack Shocking picture of diver s injuries after two metre creature bites chunk out of his face 12 July 2013 Conger conger WoRMS World Register of Marine Species Retrieved 12 May 2014 Conger Eel UK Fish info Retrieved 12 May 2014 Article Conger Eel Galway Atlantaquaria Archived from the original on 25 May 2015 Retrieved 9 May 2014 Correia Alberto et al 24 April 2012 Population structure and connectivity of the European conger eel Conger conger across the north eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean integrating molecular and otolith elemental approaches Marine Biology 159 7 1509 1525 doi 10 1007 s00227 012 1936 3 S2CID 85352160 Conger Eel Conger conger Marlin ac uk Retrieved 9 May 2014 External links edit nbsp Media related to Conger conger at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to European conger at Wikispecies Photos of European conger on Sealife Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title European conger amp oldid 1168691630, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
