Gorgasia preclara Böhlke & Randall, 1981
Splendid garden eel
photo by Adams, M.J.

Family:  Congridae (Conger and garden eels), subfamily: Heterocongrinae
Max. size:  40 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 18 - 75 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Maldives to Papua New Guinea; north to the Ryukyus; south to the Philippines to the Coral Sea.
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 144-156. Banded with yellow to orange; body diameter to about 10 mm (Ref. 48635). Anterior nostrils on snout tip between restricted labial flanges; pectoral fin small. Description: Characterized by origin of dorsal fin slightly posterior to base of adpressed pectoral fin; predorsal length 6.6-7.5% of TL; preanal length 43.2-47.0% of TL; depth of body at gill opening 1.9-2.4% of TL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Single to small aggregations (Ref. 48635). Live individually in burrows from which they protrude. Feeds on drifting plankton (Ref. 37816).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 26 November 2016 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.