El conger eel (leave leave) It is an eel-like fish belonging to the Congrida family. Characterized by its elongated and serpentine body, it resembles the eel, although they belong to different families. It is a large fish that can reach a size of up to 3 meters and weigh more than 70 kg, although the most common specimens range between 1 and 1,5 meters in length and between 8 and 15 kg of weight.
Habitat and distribution of the conger eel
The conger eel is a fish that is widely distributed in different marine ecosystems. Its presence is common in the coasts of the Atlantic Oceanat Norway to Senegal, including the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. In the Mediterranean coast It is a common species, although in the Black Sea it is only found in its western sector.
As for the depth at which it lives, the conger eel has a wide bathymetric distributionIt can be found from shallow waters of just over a meter in rocky areas up to more than 1.000 depth meters, especially during its reproductive stage.
Behavior and habits
The conger eel is a species nocturnal and solitary habits. During the day, these fish usually remain hidden in fissures and cracks in the rock bottoms, underwater caves or artificial structures such as wrecks (wrecks of sunken ships). At night, they emerge from their shelters to hunt.
Despite its aggressive appearance, the conger eel It is not usually dangerous for humans; however, some attacks have been recorded when they feel threatened or attracted by shiny objects. In areas where diving is common, the conger eel can reach getting used to human presence and even accept food directly from the divers' hands.
Conger eel feeding
This fish is a carnivorous predator which bases its diet mainly on:
- Fish: It hunts prey smaller than itself, such as sardines, mackerel or cod.
- Cephalopods: It feeds on squid, octopus and cuttlefish.
- Seafood: It can catch crabs and lobsters.
The conger eel hunting technique consists of Go out at night in search of prey hidden among rocks or on the seabed. It uses sudden attacks and its powerful jaw equipped with sharp teeth to catch and tear apart their prey.
Reproduction and life cycle
El Reproductive cycle of the conger eel It is characterized by a single reproductive event (known as a cycle) semelparous). Once sexual maturity has been reached, the conger eel performs long migrations to deep waters to spawn. These migrations can be either horizontal (traveling long distances) such as vertical (to extreme depths).
Females can lay between 3 and 8 million eggs, which float in deep water until hatching. Development from hatching to the juvenile phase goes through several stages:
- Semilarva: Small and transparent, it can measure up to 15 cm.
- Leptocephalus: Leaf-like, about 13 cm, very similar to eel larvae.
- Young Adult: It adopts the adult form, with a cylindrical body, measuring approximately 8 cm.
After laying, the adults mueren due to the degeneration of their internal tissues, ending their life cycle in a single reproductive event.
Conger eel fishing
The conger eel is a species important in commercial fishing and sporting. Its meat is highly appreciated in gastronomy for its firm texture and intense flavour. It is caught using various techniques, including:
- Angling: It is preferably used at night with natural baits such as pieces of squid or cod.
- Gillnet Fishing: Most commonly used method in commercial fishing.
- Underwater fishing: It is practiced with a harpoon in rocky areas where the conger eel usually hides.
Ecological importance and conservation status
The conger eel plays a fundamental role in the marine ecosystem, since it regulates populations de peces and crustaceans in their habitat. However, in some areas their presence has decreased due to the overfishing and habitat degradation marine.
According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)The conger eel is not listed as an endangered species, but it is important to control its exploitation to avoid a significant reduction in its populations.
This fascinating fish is a stealthy and voracious predator that plays a key role in the balance of the marine ecosystem. Its ability to adapt to different depths and its nocturnal behaviour make it a unique animal. Although it does not usually pose a threat to humans, the conger eel requires responsible conservation measures to ensure its sustainability in the oceans.