Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Congridae (Conger and garden eels) > Bathymyrinae
Etymology: Ariosoma: Greek, ari = very, strength, superiority + Greek, soma = body (Ref. 45335); melanospilos: The name ‘melanospilos’ is derived from Greek ‘melano’ (μελανός) meaning black and ‘spilos’ (σπῖλος) for spot, referring to the four black spots on the mid-dorsal temporal region..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Tropical
Eastern Indian Ocean: India.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 124214); 29.7 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 144 - 153. This medium-sized eel is distinguished by the following characters: anus placed near the mid-length; two black patches at the posterior margin of eye; two black spots on both sides of the mid-dorsal temporal region; origin of dorsal fin just above pectoral-fin base, and with a wide interbranchial width 25.0-30.3% HL; small triangular vomerine teeth patch reaching 1/4th length of the maxillary teeth patches and slightly upturned intermaxillary teeth patch at the anterior end;
vertical fins with black distal margins; supratemporal with three pores, one median pore and a lateral pore on each side above the first lateral-line pore; predorsal pores 7, preanal 54-57 with total pores 136-141; predorsal vertebrae 7-8, preanal vertebrae 55-56, precaudal vertebrae 60-62 and total vertebrae 144-153 (Ref. 124214).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Kodeeswaran, P., T.K.T. Jayakumar, S. Akash, T.T.A. Kumar and K.K. Lal, 2021. A new species of congrid eel, Ariosoma melanospilos sp. nov., from Indian waters with taxonomic description of A. dolichopterum (Congridae: Bathymyrinae). Mar. Biodiversity 51:47. (Ref. 124214)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100).