Blachea xenobranchialis

Blachea xenobranchialis, the frillgill conger^[2] is an eel in the family Congridae (conger/garden eels), and the type species in the genus Blachea.^[3] It was described by Christine Karrer and David G. Smith in 1980.^[4] 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.^[3]

Blachea xenobranchialis
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anguilliformes
Family:	Congridae
Genus:	Blachea
Species:	B. xenobranchialis
Binomial name
Blachea xenobranchialis Karrer & D. G. Smith, 1980

The species epithet "xenobranchialis" means "strange gill" in Ancient Greek, and refers to the eel's unusual free branchiostegals.^[3]