Animal Species:Lord Howe Conger, Ariosoma howensis (McCulloch & Waite, 1916)

Ariosoma howensis is known from Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia. It was originally described as Congermuraena howensis.

Head of a Lord Howe Conger

Head of a Lord Howe Conger
Geoff Kelly © Geoff Kelly

Identification

The Lord Howe Conger is a relatively stout eel with its dorsal fin originating above the operculum. It has four dark bands anteriorly. The first band crosses the snout but leaves the nostrils and lips white. The second band crosses the interobital and forms a dark patch below the eye. The third crosses the nape and preopercular region. The fourth crosses the operculae. The dorsal, caudal and anal fins have thin dark margins.

Ariosoma howensis was originally described as Congermuraena howensis in 1916 by Australian Museum Fish Curator, Allan McCulloch and South Australian Museum Director (past Australian Museum Fish Curator) Edgar Waite. The description was based on three syntype specimens, all of which are housed in the Australian Museum fish collection.

Size range

The species grows at least 40 cm in length.

Distribution

It is known from Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Lord Howe Conger specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:
howensis
Genus:
Ariosoma
Family:
Congridae
Order:
Anguilliformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Karmovskaya, E.S. 2004. Benthopelagic bathyal conger eels of families Congridae and Nettastomatidae from the western tropical Pacific, with descriptions of ten new species. Journal of Ichthyology. 44 (Suppl. 1): S1-S32.
  3. McCulloch, A.R. & Waite, E.R.  1916. Additions to the fish-fauna of Lord Howe Island. No. 5.  Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 40: 437-451.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Lord Howe Conger, Ariosoma howensis, Congridae, eel, Lord Howe Island, stout eel, dark bands, stripes or bands, 30 cm - 1 m, marine,