Congrogadinae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of ray-finned fishes, one of four subfamilies that make up the family Pseudochromidae, these elongated fish are commonly called eel-blennies.

Characteristics

The species in the subfamily Congrogadidae have elongated rather eel-like bodies which are covered in with small cycloid scales. Their dorsal fin normally has a single robust spine and 32–79 rays while the

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

lacks any spines and has 26–66 rays. The dorsal and anal fins are long and the

pelvic fin Pelvic fins or ventral fins are paired fins located on the ventral surface of fish. The paired pelvic fins are homologous to the hindlimbs of tetrapods. Structure and function Structure In actinopterygians, the pelvic fin consists of two en ...

is sometimes present but in more than half the species it is absent. The caudal fin is joined to the long dorsal and anal fins in a small number of species but is separated in all the others. They have a protractable mouth and there is a rear facing spine on the opercle. They have between one and three complete or partial

lateral line The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelial ...

s. There are no teeth on the palatine and they may or may not be present on the vomerine bone. They grow to a maximum length of . They lay eggs which are covered in hooks, some of which may develop into filaments. The eggs are clumped together in an egg mass the hooks on the eggs' surfaces interlocking with each other, which is most likely guarded by the male.

Distribution and habitat

The species in the Congrogadinae inhabit coral reefs as well as sand and mud substrates from the

intertidal zone The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...

down to . They are found in the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

region. There is one species which lives within

sponges Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through ...

which is found in the

Gulf of Carpentaria The Gulf of Carpentaria (, ) is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the eastern Arafura Sea (the body of water that lies between Australia and New Guinea). The northern boundary is ...

. The subfamily is thought to have arisen in the proto Indian Ocean before Gondwanaland broke up and dispersed into the western Pacific Ocean.

Genera

The following genera are included within the Congrogadinae: * '' Blennodesmus'' Günther, 1872 * ''

Congrogadus ''Congrogadus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback Family (biology), family, Pseudochromidae. The genus ''Congrogadus'' has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Charact ...

'' Günther, 1862 * ''

Halidesmus ''Halidesmus'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes, the type genus of the subfamily Congrogadinae, the eel blennies, part of the dottyback family, Pseudochromidae. They are found in the western Indian Ocean as far east as India, with one species exte ...

'' Günther, 1872 * '' Halimuraena''

J.L.B. Smith James Leonard Brierley Smith (26 September 1897 – 8 January 1968) was a South African ichthyologist, organic chemist, and university professor. He was the first to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought to be long e ...

, 1952 * '' Halimuraenoides'' Maugé & Bardach, 1985 * '' Haliophis'' Rüppell, 1829 * '' Natalichthys'' Winterbottom, 1980 * '' Rusichthys'' Winterbottom, 1979

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q300833 Pseudochromidae Taxa named by Albert Günther