Mercy's garden eel
📖 Overview
Collected from a single colony, occupying about 100 sq. m with approximately 50 eels at 5-6 m depth. The bottom is fine, silty sand and influenced by a freshwater stream along the adjacent shoreline, about 100 m distance, with the nearest reef formation about 50 m from the site .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 578 - 629; Anal soft rays: 390 - 432; Vertebrae: 204 - 213. This relatively slender species has the following distinct set of characters: dorsal-fin origin anterior to gill opening; with pterygoid teeth; body depth at gill opening 28.8-35.2% of HL; preanal vertebrae 62-71 (mean = 65), total vertebrae 204-213 (mean 207.4) ; preanal lateral-line pores 63-69; body colouration consisting of zebra-like black and white barring on head grading to complex black and white maze pattern on body .: eel-like; Cross section: circular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Mercy's garden eel is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 4 - 10 m . Tropical West Papua), but likely to occur as far east as Rabaul, New Britain (based on an underwater photo).
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
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