GARDEN & CONGER EELS - CONGRIDAE
General:
Garden eels occur in colonies in sand where they live individually in burrows from which they protrude to feed on plankton.
Conger eels feed on small fishes and crustaceans, primarily at night. Occur mostly in deep or temperate waters and are valued as food fishes.
Mating and spawning apparently takes place without any lengthy migration. Leptocephali (larvae) showed curling behavior which make them resemble gelatinous zooplankton, e.g. jellyfishes, in observations made at Osprey Reef, Coral Sea. This behavior could be an evolved response to threats by potential predators.
Body without scales; lateral line complete. Usually with pectoral fins. Branchiostegal rays 8-22. Vertebrae 105-225.
Etymology
Latin, conger = conger