Common pike conger
The common pike conger or pike eel (Muraenesox bagio) is a species of eel found throughout most of the Indo-Pacific.[1] In Australia, it is known in the southwest, in Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country, and south to the coast of New South Wales.[2] The common pike conger grows up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length and 7.1 kg (16 lb) in weight.[1] A nocturnal predator, the common pike conger lives in estuaries and near the shore to a depth of 100 m (330 ft).[1][2] A strong and muscular fish, the common pike conger is a delicacy in South East Asia and features in various dishes.[3]
| Common pike conger | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Species: | M. bagio |
| Binomial name | |
| Muraenesox bagio (F. Hamilton, 1822) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Muraena bagio | |
Breeding
In Australia, the females lay the eggs off the coasts; the eggs take 9–10 weeks to hatch. A female can lay up to four million eggs in a single year.
References
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2017). "Muraenesox bagio" in FishBase. September 2017 version.
- http://australianmuseum.net.au/common-pike-eel-muraenesox-bagio-hamilton-buchanan-1822
- http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/giant-sea-monster-washed-australian-beach-identified-pike-eel-1544148