Spotted garden-eel

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iSpotted garden-eel

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Aulopiformes
Family: Congridae
Genus: Heteroconger
Species: H. hassi
Binomial name
Heteroconger hassi
Kaup, 1856

The spotted garden-eel, Heteroconger hassi, is a conger of the family Congridae, found in Indo-Pacific oceans from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to northwestern Australia and New Caledonia, and throughout Micronesia, at depths of between 7 and 45 m. Length is up to 40 cm, and the body diameter is up to about 14 mm.

The markings on the spotted garden-eel are variable but usually two large black spots are obvious. The anterior nostrils are included in a continuous free labial flange. The pectoral fins are minute. It is often found on sandy slopes below 15 m, and withdraws into its burrow when approached. Usually in colonies containing up to several hundred individuals.

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