Sealife guideThe european conger eelConger conger
Last updated on 08/21/2024 at 10:42 PM
Taxonomy
English names
European conger eel
French namesCongreCongre communAnguille de mer
Spanish namesCongrio común
Scientific nameConger conger (Linnaeus, 1758)
FamilyCongridae
OrderAnguilliformes
ClassActinopterygii
Description
The European conger eel can reach up to 10 feet in length for females and 3.3 feet for males.

The color of the European conger eel ranges from gray to black with a lighter underside
Similarly, the European conger eel can weigh up to 220 pounds for females and 66 pounds for males.
The European conger eel has an elongated body similar to that of an eel. Cylindrical at the head, its body flattens out towards the tail.
The European conger eel is characterized by a continuous fin around its body and a smooth, scale-less skin.
Its color ranges from gray to black with a lighter underside.
Geographic range
The European conger eel is found in the North Sea, the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
Habitat
The European conger eel lives in rocky crevices. It is not uncommon to find it in shipwrecks.
The European conger eel can be found at depths ranging from 33 to 200 feet, and even at several hundred feet deep.
Diet
Hidden during the day, the European conger eel comes out at night to hunt. It primarily feeds on fish, crustaceans and octopuses.

Hidden during the day, the European conger eel comes out at night to hunt
Reproduction
The female European conger eel spawns her eggs in the summer at great depths.
Did you know ?
The female European conger eel can lay up to 8 million eggs.
After laying all her eggs and ensuring the survival of the species, the female European conger eel does not survive the pressure at such great depths.
The european conger eel is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The european conger eel appears in the IUCN Red List since 2015 within the category Least Concern !
Tips for observing
Concealed in its shelter, the European conger eel is a fish that can be easily observed.

Concealed in its shelter, the European conger eel is a fish that can be easily observed
Preferred hiding spots include any crevice and shipwrecks with their numerous hiding places.
Discover also

Butter hamletHypoplectrus unicolor

Chain morayEchidna catenata

Indian mackerelRastrelliger kanagurta

Long barbeled grunterHapalogenys sennin

Peacock flounderBothus lunatus

Pygmy seahorseHippocampus bargibanti

Scaleless shrimpgobyTomiyamichthys nudus

Titan triggerfishBalistoides viridescens
The marine species in the Mediterranean Sea
Our latestUpdates

A smooth start, an uncertain AtlanticDiscover the 2026 Route du Rhum start off Saint-Malo, where favorable initial conditions contrast with an uncertain Atlantic crossing shaped by changing winds and weather.Read more

Five questions to understand the startDiscover how the 2026 Route du Rhum start unfolds, including harbor preparations, lock passages, skipper schedules, weather routing rules, and the Virtual Regatta race.Read more

Eight Ultim, one winnerDiscover the eight Ultim trimarans and their skippers competing in the 2026 Route du Rhum. Cutting-edge technology, experience and ambition come together in the battle for one victory.Read more
Photo of the Day

Clathrine jaune
(Clathrina clathrus)
(Clathrina clathrus)








