Blachea xenobranchialis, the frillgill congerCommon names for Blachea xenobranchialis at www.fishbase.org. is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels), and the type species in the genus Blachea.Blachea xenobranchialis at www.fishbase.org. It was described by Christine Karrer and David G. Smith in 1980.Karrer, C. and D. G. Smith, 1980 (5 Dec.) [ref. 2566] A new genus and species of congrid eel from the Indo-west Pacific. Copeia 1980 (no. 4): 642-648. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from northwestern Australia, in the Indo-West Pacific. It dwells at a depth range of 348–385 metres, and leads a benthic lifestyle, inhabiting continental shelves and slopes. Males can reach a maximum total length of 47.5 centimetres, while females can reach a maximum TL of 37.5 cm.
The species epithet "xenobranchialis" means "strange gill" in Ancient Greek, and refers to the eel's unusual free branchiostegals.
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