The Congridae are the family of conger and

garden eel The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of the 36 known species of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but can be found in warm ocean water worldwide. These small eels Eels are ray ...

s. Congers are valuable and often large

food fish Many species of fish are caught by humans and consumed as food in virtually all regions around the world. Their meat has been an important dietary source of protein and other nutrients in the human diet. The English language does not have a s ...

es, while garden eels live in colonies, all protruding from the sea floor after the manner of plants in a garden (thus the name). The family includes over 220 species in 32 genera. The

European conger The European conger (''Conger conger'') is a species of conger of the family Congridae. It is the heaviest eel in the world and native to the northeast Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea. Description and behaviour European congers have ...

, ''Conger conger'', is the largest of the family and of the

Anguilliformes Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order (biology), order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 Family (biology), families, 164 genus, genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the earl ...

order that includes it; it has been recorded at up to in length and weighing . Congrids are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas around the world. Clear distinguishing features among congrids are few; they all lack scales, and most possess

pectoral fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish aquatic locomotion, swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the vertebral column ...

s. They feed on crustaceans and small fish. The earliest known fossils of this group are otoliths from the

Campanian The Campanian is the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch on the geologic timescale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). In chronostratigraphy, it is the fifth of six stages in the Upper Cretaceous Series. Campa ...

of the United States. A number of articulated specimens are known from the

Paleogene The Paleogene Period ( ; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Neogene Period Ma. It is the fir ...

of Europe.

Genera

The Congridae is divided into the following subfamilies and genera: * '' Alaconger'' Schwarzhans, 2010 (2 species;

otolith An otolith (, ' ear + , ', a stone), also called otoconium, statolith, or statoconium, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle (ear), utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The saccule ...

-based taxon;

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the more recent of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''cre ...

of the United States and Germany) * '' Bolcyrus''

Blot Blot may refer to: Surname * Guillaume Blot (born 1985), French racing cyclist * Harold W. Blot (born 1938), served as United States Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation * Jean-François Joseph Blot (1781–1857), French soldier and politician * Y ...

, 1978 (1 species, fossil; Eocene of Italy) * '' Congrophichthus'' Schwarzhans &

Stringer Stringer may refer to: Structural elements * Stringer (aircraft), or longeron, a strip of wood or metal to which the skin of an aircraft is fastened * Stringer (slag), an inclusion, possibly leading to a defect, in cast metal * Stringer (stairs), ...

,2020 (1 species; otolith-based taxon; Late Cretaceous and

Early Paleocene The Danian is the oldest age (geology), age or lowest stage (stratigraphy), stage of the Paleocene Epoch or series (stratigraphy), Series, of the Paleogene Period or system (stratigraphy), System, and of the Cenozoic Era or Erathem. The beginnin ...

of the United States) * ''

Voltaconger ''Voltaconger'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived from the early to middle Eocene. See also * Prehistoric fish * List of prehistoric bony fish This list of prehistoric bony fish is an attempt to create a comprehensive l ...

' Blot, 1978' (1 species, fossil; Eocene of Italy) * Subfamily

Bathymyrinae Bathymyrinae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Congridae, which includes the conger and garden eels. The eels of this subfamily are most diverse in the Indo-Pacific region but are also found in both the Easter ...

J. E. Böhlke, 1949 ** ''

Ariosoma ''Ariosoma'' is a genus of marine congrid true eel, eels. Species There are 42 species currently recognized in this genus by William N. Eschmeyer, Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: * ''Ariosoma albimaculatum'' Kodeeswaran, Dash, Kumar & Lal, 2022 * ...

'' Swainson, 1838 (39 species) ** '' Bathymyrus''

Alcock Alcock is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfred William Alcock, British naturalist * C. W. Alcock, British sports administrator, creator of the FA Cup * Charles R. Alcock, American astronomer * Deborah Alcock, British auth ...

, 1889 (three species) ** '' Chiloconger''

Myers Myers as a surname has several possible origins, e.g. Old French ("physician"), Old English ("mayor"), and Old Norse ("marsh"). People * Abram F. Myers (1889–after 1960), chair of the Federal Trade Commission and later general counsel and b ...

Wade Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to: Places in the United States * Wade, Maine, a town * Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place * Wade, North Carolina, a town * Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Wade Township, Clinton County, Ill ...

, 1941 (two species) ** '' Kenyaconger'' D. G. Smith & Karmovskaya, 2003 (one species) ** '' Parabathymyrus'' Kamohara, 1938 (six species) ** '' Paraconger''

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Etymology The name "Kanazaw ...

, 1961 (seven species) ** ''

Rostroconger ''Rostroconger'' is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Bathymyrinae, which is in the family Congridae, which also includes the conger and garden eels. The only species in the genus is ''Rostroconger macrou ...

'' D. G. Smith, 2015 (one species) ** ''

Paracongroides ''Paracongroides'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived from the early to middle Eocene period. See also * Prehistoric fish * List of prehistoric bony fish This list of prehistoric bony fish is an attempt to create a compre ...

'' Blot, 1978 (1 species, fossil; Eocene of Italy) ** '' Pavelichthys'' Bannikov &

Fedotov Fedotov (Федотов) or Fedotova (feminine) is a common Russian language, Russian last name from the given name ''Fedot'', borrowed from "given by God". Belarusian form is ''Фядотаў''. It may refer to the following people: ;Association ...

, 1984 (1 species, fossil; Oligocene of Russia) * Subfamily

Congrinae The Congrinae are a subfamily of eels in the family Congridae. Genera Congrinae contains the following genera: * '' Acromycter'' D. G. Smith & Kanazawa, 1977 * '' Bassanago'' Whitley, 1948 * '' Bathycongrus'' Ogilby, 1898 * '' Bathyuroconger' ...

Kaup, 1856 ** '' Acromycter'' D. G. Smith & Kanazawa, 1977 (five species) ** '' Bassanago'' Whitley, 1938 (four species) ** '' Bathycongrus'' Ogilby, 1898 (22 species) ** '' Bathyuroconger'' Fowler, 1934 (six species) ** '' Blachea''

Karrer Karrer is a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Annie May Hurd Karrer (1893–?), American plant physiologist * Chris Karrer (1947–2024), German guitarist and composer * Felix Karrer (1825–1903), Austrian geologist * Josef Karrer ( ...

& D. G. Smith, 1980 (two species) ** '' Castleichthys'' D. G. Smith, 2004 (one species) ** ''

Conger ''Conger'' ( ) is a genus of marine congrid eels. It includes some of the largest types of eels, ranging up to or more in length, in the case of the European conger. Large congers have often been observed by divers during the day in parts of t ...

'' Bosc, 1817 (21 species) ** ''

Congrhynchus ''Congrhynchus talabonoides'' is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of the genus ''Congrhynchus''. It is only found in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Phi ...

'' Fowler, 1934 (one species) ** '' Congriscus'' D. S. Jordan & C. L. Hubbs, 1925 (three species) ** ''

Congrosoma ''Congrosoma evermanni'', or the Evermann's conger, is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of the genus ''Congrosoma''. It is only found in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Panama Panama, officially the ...

Garman Garman is a surname or first name. Notable people with the name include: Sports * Ann Garman, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Judi Garman (born 1954), American softball coach * Mike Garman (born 1949), American baseball pla ...

, 1899 (one species) ** ''

Diploconger ''Diploconger polystigmatus'', or the headband conger, is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of the genus ''Diploconger''. It is only found in the Indian Ocean off the western Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean ...

'' Kotthaus, 1968 (one species) ** '' Gavialiceps'' Alcock, 1889 (five species) ** ''

Gnathophis ''Gnathophis'' is a genus of marine congrid eels. Species There are currently 28 recognized species in this genus: * '' Gnathophis andriashevi'' Karmovskaya, 1990 * '' Gnathophis asanoi'' Karmovskaya, 2004 * '' Gnathophis bathytopos'' D. G. ...

'' Kaup, 1859 (27 species) ** ''

Japonoconger ''Japonoconger'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. Species There are currently four recognized species in this genus: * '' Japonoconger africanus'' (Poll, 1953) * '' Japonoconger caribbeus'' D. G. Smith & Kanazawa, 1977 * '' Japonoco ...

'' Asano, 1958 (three species) ** '' Lumiconger''

Castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

& Paxton, 1984 (one species) ** '' Macrocephenchelys'' Fowler, 1856 (two species) ** '' Paruroconger'' Blache & Bauchot, 1976 ** '' Promyllantor'' Allcock, 1890 (three species) ** '' Pseudophichthys'' Roule, 1915 (one species) ** '' Rhynchoconger'' D. S. Jordan & C. L. Hubbs, 1925 (10 species) ** ''

Scalanago ''Scalanago lateralis'', or the ladder eel is a species of eel in the family Congridae. It is the only member of its genus. It is only found around Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising m ...

'' Whitley, 1935 (one species) ** '' Smithconger'' Carnevale, Schwarzhans, Schrøder & Lindow, 2022 (two species, fossil & otolith; Eocene of Denmark & New Zealand) ** ''

Uroconger ''Uroconger'' is a genus of eels in the family Congridae. It currently contains the following species: * ''Uroconger erythraeus'' Peter Henry John Castle, Castle, 1982 * ''Uroconger lepturus'' (John Richardson (naturalist), J. Richardson, 1845) ...

'' Kaup, 1856 (four species) ** '' Xenomystax'' Gilbert, 1891 (five species) * Subfamily

Heterocongrinae The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of the 36 known species of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but can be found in warm ocean water worldwide. These small eels Eels are ray ...

Günther, 1870 (garden eels) ** ''

Gorgasia ''Gorgasia'' is one of the two genera that belong to the subfamily ''Heterocongrinae'' (common name: garden eels). This genus is classified by the behavioral pattern of burrowing 75% of their bodies in the sandy substrate they live in and protrud ...

Meek Meekness is an attribute of human nature and behavior that has been defined as an amalgam of righteousness, inner humility, and patience. Meekness has been contrasted with humility alone insomuch as humility simply refers to an attitude towards o ...

Hildebrand Hildebrand is a character from Germanic heroic legend. ''Hildebrand'' is the modern German form of the name: in Old High German it is ''Hiltibrant'' and in Old Norse ''Hildibrandr''. The word ''hild'' means "battle" and ''brand'' means "sword" ...

, 1923 (14 species) ** ''

Heteroconger ''Heteroconger'' is a genus of marine congrid eels. These small, slender garden eels live in groups where each individual has its own burrow. Usually, only the head and front half of the body is visible. The greatest species richness is in the I ...

'' Bleeker, 1868 (24 species)

References

Marine fish families Anguilliformes families {{Anguilliformes-stub Extant Campanian first appearances