Black Garden Eel

Heteroconger perissodon

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Congridae
Genus: Heteroconger
Species: Heteroconger perissodon

The black garden eel (Heteroconger perissodon) is a dark garden eel that lives in colonies on sand, rising from its burrow to feed on plankton. Its dark colour sets it apart from paler garden eels.

It grows to about 40-50 cm and rarely leaves its burrow, which it lines with mucus. It disappears into the sand when divers come too close.

In the Philippines it is found in colonies on sandy slopes, often alongside other garden eel species.

Photo: Justin Philbois, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist