Oder Anguilliformes Family Congridae(Conger and garden eels). Spotted garden-eel Heteroconger hassi(Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1959). Max length/40.0 cm TL Korean name/jeom-mu-nui-jeong-won-jang-eo(점무늬 정원장어) Japanese name/Chin-anago Chinese name/哈氏異康吉鰻 Dorsal spines(total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 449-540; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 273 - 334; Vertebrae: 163 – 177
Distribution; Indo-West Pacific/Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands, north to the Ryukyu and the Ogasawara islands, south to northwestern Australia and New Caledonia; throughout Micronesia
General; The spotted garden eel is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 40 centimetres. Its body is long, thin, with a circular cross-section(14 millimetres in average diameter) and a head of the same diameter as the body. The head appears shortened because the large mouth is close to the also large eyes. Nostrils are small and positioned in the center of the upper lip. Anterior nostrils included in continuous free labial flange. Pectoral fins minute. Anal fin origin below vertebra 59-66. The body is white and covered with many small black spots. There are three prominent larger black patches located on the body. the first identifies the gills opening and the position of the tiny pectoral fins, the second is located in the central part of the body and the third one surrounds the anus.
Dorsal and anal fins are transparent.Juveniles have a very thin black body.
It digs deep into the sand with a hard pointed tail, then shakes the dorsal fin to push the sand out of the hole. To prevent the sand burrow from collapsing, secrete mucus from the skin and make the walls hard. It lives exclusively in variously sized colonies on sandy bottoms that are exposed to currents, at depths from 15 to 45 meters. Usually in colonies containing up to several hundred individuals When feeding, the Spotted Garden Eel rises out of its burrow, exposing up to two-thirds of its body to catch drifting zooplankton from the passing current. Withdraws into its burrow when approached. As in other heteroconger species, individuals rarely leave their burrow once it is finished, but will move burrows closer together during breeding season until contact between partners is possible. Potential mates stretch over from adjacent burrows and entwine bodies. Fertilized eggs and juveniles have a planktonic period before reaching sufficient size to start living in the substrate. The species was not discovered until SCUBA diving became popular. Since then colonies of hundreds or thousands of individuals have been reported
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