Frillgill conger

The Frillgill conger[1] (Blachea xenobranchialis) is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels), and the type species in the genus Blachea.[2] It was described by Christine Karrer and David G. Smith in 1980.[3] It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from northwestern Australia, in the Indo-West Pacific. It dwells at a depth range of 348–385 metres, and leads a benthic lifestyle, inhabiting continental shelves and slopes. Males can reach a maximum total length of 47.5 centimetres, while females can reach a maximum TL of 37.5 cm.[2]

Frillgill conger
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Anguilliformes
Family:
Congridae
Genus:
Blachea
Species:
B. xenobranchialis
Binomial name
Blachea xenobranchialis
Karrer & Smith, 1980

The species epithet "xenobranchialis" means "strange gill" in Ancient Greek, and refers to the eel's unusual free branchiostegals.[2]

References
  1. Common names for Blachea xenobranchialis at www.fishbase.org.
  2. Blachea xenobranchialis at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Karrer, C. and D. G. Smith, 1980 (5 Dec.) [ref. 2566] A new genus and species of congrid eel from the Indo-west Pacific. Copeia 1980 (no. 4): 642-648.


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