Congridae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conger and garden eels |
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| Conger conger | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Suborder: | Congroidei |
| Family: | Congridae Kaup, 1856 |
| Subfamilies | |
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Bathymyrinae |
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The Congridae are a family of fascinating fish known as conger eels and garden eels. Conger eels are often quite large and are sometimes caught for food. Garden eels are special because they live in big groups, poking their heads out of the seafloor like plants in a garden. That's how they got their name! This family includes more than 180 different kinds of eels, found in 32 main groups.
The European conger, called Conger conger, is the biggest eel in this family. It's also the largest of all eels in its larger group, the Anguilliformes. Some European congers have been measured at up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) long! They can also weigh as much as 350 pounds (about 159 kilograms). Imagine seeing an eel that big!
About Conger and Garden Eels
Conger and garden eels live in warm, sunny seas and also in cooler waters all around the world. It can be tricky to tell different types of conger eels apart because they share many features. They all have smooth skin without scales. Most of them also have small fins near their heads, called pectoral fins.
What Do They Eat?
These eels are carnivores, which means they eat other animals. They mostly munch on small fish and crustaceans, like crabs and shrimp. Unlike some other types of eels, conger and garden eels do not travel long distances to lay their eggs. They usually stay in their home areas.
Many Kinds of Eels
The Conger family, Congridae, is divided into three main groups, called subfamilies. These are the Bathymyrinae, Congrinae, and Heterocongrinae. Each subfamily contains many different types of eels, called genera, and even more individual species. For example, the Bathymyrinae group has 6 different genera and 46 species. The Congrinae group is the largest, with 20 genera and 95 species. The Heterocongrinae group is where you'll find the garden eels, with 2 genera and 35 species. Each of these species has its own unique features and habits!
See Also
Want to learn more? Check out this page in Spanish: Cóngridos para niños
