The Apodes, or Eel-like Fishes 149 



blunt nose, and burrows its way into the bodies of halibut and 

 other large fishes. It has been found in Newfoundland and 



Fia. 103. Pug-nosed Eel, Simenchelys parasiticus Gill. Sable Island Bank. 



Madeira. Another family possessing rudimentary scales is that 

 of the Synaphobranchidce, slender eels of the ocean depths widely 

 distributed. In these forms the gill-openings are confluent. 

 Synaphobranchus pinnatus is the best-known species. 



FIG. 104. Synaphobranchus pinnatus (Gronow). Le Have Bank. 



Conger-eels. The Leptocephatidce, or conger-eels, are very 

 similar to the fresh-water eels, but are without scales and with 

 a somewhat different mouth, the dorsal beginning nearer to the 

 head. 



The principal genus is Lcptocephalus, including the common 

 conger-eel (Leptocephalus conger] of eastern America and Europe 

 and numerous very similar species in the tropics of both con- 

 tinents. These fishes are strictly marine and, reaching the 

 length of five or six feet, are much valued as food. The eggs 

 are much larger than those of the eel arid are produced in great 

 numbers, so that the female almost bursts with their numbers. 

 Dr. Hermes calculated that 3,300,000 were laid by one female 

 in an aquarium. 



These eggs hatch out into transparent band -like larva, with 

 very small heads formerly known as Leptocephalus, an ancient 

 name which is now taken for the genus of congers, having 



