•  
  •  
 

Alternate Title

Unusual Features of the Colonies of the Common Western Atlantic Garden Eel (Heterocongrinae), with a New Record for Bermuda

Abstract

Colonies of the common western Atlantic garden eel (Heteroconger longissimus) recently discovered In Bermuda have a larger size than anywhere in the Caribbean (a single specimen from Puerto Rico being exceptional) and most members of the colonies occur as male-female pairs in closely adjacent burrows, whereas pairing otherwise is unknown in this species. The heads of a minority of adults of both sexes develop prominent, fluid-filled, blister-like structures that, at their fullest form, significantly swell the size of the head. This condition has been found In Bermudian and Caribbean colonies of H. longissimus as well as in two species of Heteroconger from the Pacific.

Share

COinS