THE CONGER EELS 



Family VII. Leptoccplialidce 



THIS family includes those eels which are scaleless, and have 

 the tongue largely free in front, the body moderately elongate, 

 the end of the tail surrounded by a fin, the posterior nostril 

 remote from the upper lip and near the eye, and the pectoral 

 fins well developed. All the species are plainly coloured, gray- 

 ish or dusky brown above, silvery below, and the dorsal edged 

 with black. 



The 3 recognized genera contain about 15 species, inhabiting 

 most warm seas, usually at moderate depths. Most of the species 

 undergo a metamorphosis, the young being loosely organized and 

 transparent, band-shaped and with a very small head. 



a. Vomerine teeth in bands, none of them canine-like. 



b. Dorsal fin inserted behind the pectoral, but nearer pectoral 



than vent ; Leptocephalus, 8 1 



bb. Dorsal fin beginning over the gill-opening; Congermurcena, 81 

 aa. Vomerine teeth uniserial, some of them canine-like; 



Uroconger, 81 



The 2 species of Leptocephalus in our waters are L. conger 

 and L. caudilimbatus. The former is the conger eel which is 

 generally common on both coasts of the Atlantic, from Cape Cod 

 to Brazil in America. It occurs also on the coasts of Africa and 

 Asia, but is not known from the eastern Pacific. It reaches a 

 length of 7 or 8 feet and, though not much used in this country, 

 it is an important food-fish in Europe. The other species (L. 

 caudilimbatus) is found in the tropical parts of the Atlantic. It 

 is not uncommon in the West Indies where it is used as food, 

 and it ranges north at least to Pensacola and the Bahamas. It 

 also occurs about Madeira. 



Five species of Congermurcena are found in our limits. They 

 are all of small size and of little food value. 



Only one species of Uroconger is known from our waters. It is 

 of no value as a food-fish. 



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