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GBIF·2403485speciesAnimalia629 occurrence records
  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. ›phylumChordata
  3. ›orderAnguilliformes
  4. ›familyCongridae
  5. ›genusCongriscus
Congriscus megastomus
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Congriscus megastomus: museum & herbarium specimensCongriscus megastomus: museum & herbarium specimens

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IUCN LC · Least concern

Bigmouth conger

Congriscus megastomus (Günther, 1877)

Also calledOkianago (jpn) · Большеротый конгер (rus) · Короткохвостый угорь Коэна (rus) · オキアナゴ (jpn)

Congriscus megastomus is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels). It was described by Albert Günther in 1877, originally under the genus Congromuraena. It is a marine, temperate-water dwelling eel which is known from Japan and the Kyushu–Palau Ridge, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It inhabits reefs. Males can reach a maximum total length of 40 centimeters. This species' remarkably large and distinct leptocephalus larvae were previously known under the name Thalassenchelys coheni. In 2016, scientists used genetic techniques to link the larvae to the adult C. megastomus. These larvae reach a maximum size of 30 cm (12 in) and have a number of unusual characteristics, including two forward-facing front teeth that may be used for feeding on different prey than other eel larvae.

Congriscus megastomus is preyed on by Chlorophthalmus albatrossis. Its own diet includes finfish such as Diaphus coeruleus, Diaphus sagamiensis, Hymenocephalus lethonemus, Synagrops japonicus, and species of Macrura, as well as euphausiid plankton crustaceans and polychaetes.

Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF

discussion

Remarks. This species is occasionally collected by bottom trawl off northeastern Taiwan.

Annotated checklist of eels (orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes) from Taiwan

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Where it has been recorded

Recorded sightings

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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.

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Every page naming Congriscus megastomus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →

From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2403485.