Vol. XVII, pp. 121-122 June 9. 1904 



PROCEEDINGS 



i<V THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF BLIND EEL, 

 OF THE (4ENUS AXGUILLA. 



BY HUGH M. SMITH. 



[Contribution from U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.] 



On July 31, 1902, during a cruise of the schooner Gmurpus 

 to the tile-fish grounds lying on the inner edge of the Gulf 

 Stream, the writer collected at the surface, 60 miles south of 

 Nomans Land, a small eel which represents a hitlierto un- 

 known species of AnguiUa, and is here diagnosed and figured. 



Anguilla C£eca Smith, new sj^ecies. 



Similar to the common eel, AiiguiUu chri.vjpu Rafinesque, l)ut with the 

 head and snout somewhat broader, the mandible longer and more project- 

 ing, the eyes completely covered by skin and the body uniformly black. 

 Body cylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly, the depth contained 

 2.7 times in length of head ; head about .12 total length ; mouth large, 

 lower jaw strongly projecting; teeth small, in a band in each jaw, a small 

 patch also on vomerine; anterior nostrils tubular, posterior nostrils simple 

 pits in front of eye ; a large pore on each side half-way between nostrils, 

 and a row of large pores on each side of lower jaw; branchial aperture 

 vertical, about length of base of pectoral, extending below base of pectoral; 

 pectoral fins well developed, .25 length of head ; dorsal origin posterior to 

 gill-opening a distance equal to 1.6 length of head ; anal origin posterior to 

 dorsal a distance equal to .66 length of head. Scales not evident. Skin 

 uniformly jet black ; fins dark reddish brown by transmitted light ; skin 

 •over eyes not appreciably thinner than elsewhere. Eyes about as large as 

 19— Proc. Bioi,. See. Wash. Vol. XVII, 1904. (121) 



