Spotted Garden Eelチンアナゴ

Heteroconger hassiNE— Not Evaluated

The spotted garden eel is a small, shy reef fish that lives in colonies on sandy seabeds, each individual anchored tail-first in its own burrow with only its head and upper body swaying above the sand to catch passing plankton.

Spotted Garden Eel (reference photo)
Photo: Esquilo / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Anguilliformes / Congridae Source
Distribution
Found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific and Japan's Ogasawara and Ryukyu islands, living in colonies on sandy bottoms at the outer edge of coral reefs at depths of 15-45 m and water temperatures of about 25-29°C. Source

Did You Know?

  • November 11 is celebrated in Japan as "Spotted Garden Eel Day," a date chosen because the eels' upright bodies resemble the numeral 1; the designation was registered in 2013 at the request of Sumida Aquarium. Source
  • Its Japanese name, chin-anago, comes from a resemblance between its face and that of the Japanese Chin dog breed. Source

Where to See This Species

7 facilities · 0 individuals

すみだ水族館 (Sumida Suizokukan)Tokyo東武スカイツリーライン「とうきょうスカイツリー」駅すぐ。

約300匹の群れを展示する大水槽が名物。個体識別による移動調査も実施している。 Source

京都水族館 (Kyouto Suizokukan)KyotoJR「京都」駅中央口から徒歩約15分。

サンゴ礁のいきものを集めた「ミテッテ」エリアで展示。 Source

かごしま水族館 (Kagoshima Suizokukan)Kagoshima鹿児島中央駅から市電（2系統）「水族館口」下車、徒歩8分。

かごしま水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

ふくしま海洋科学館 (Fukushimakaiyoukagakukan)FukushimaOpened in 2000

ふくしま海洋科学館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

宮島水族館 (Miyajima Suizokukan)HiroshimaOpened in 2011

宮島水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

仙台うみの杜水族館 (Sendaiuminomori Suizokukan)MiyagiOpened in 2015

仙台うみの杜水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Toba AquariumMieOpened in 1955

鳥羽水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Latest news

6

Open the news index

Source links to official sites, official YouTube channels, and news aggregators such as Zoo Ring. Visit the publisher for the full item.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Ver.3.1（2001年）でLeast Concern（軽度懸念）に評価されている。

Habitat

サンゴ礁外縁部の砂底、水深15〜45m、水温25〜29℃前後の海域。

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Support Conservation

A visit is a small, positive way to support the daily lives of the animals you care about.

Visit
A visit itself helps support the facility.
Animal Supporter Programs & Giving
Find ways to support the facility through its official website.
Furusato Nozei
Municipally run facilities may share official guidance for this Japanese hometown-tax program.

FAQ

Why do spotted garden eels only show their heads?
Each eel lives permanently tail-down in a burrow it digs in the sand, keeping the lower half of its body hidden and only extending its head and upper body to feed and watch for danger. Source
What do spotted garden eels eat?
They feed on zooplankton carried past their burrows by ocean currents. Source
Where are spotted garden eels found?
They live across the tropical Indo-Pacific, including Japan's Ogasawara and Ryukyu islands, on sandy bottoms at the edge of coral reefs at depths of about 15-45 m. Source

Source: www.sumida-aquarium.com www.sumida-aquarium.com www.kyoto-aquarium.com