82 ONTOGENY AND SYSTEMATICS OF FISHES-AHLSTROM SYMPOSIUM 



Table 1 8. Pigment and Morphological Characters of Congridae (Congrinae), Colocongridae and Heterenchelyidae. + = All or most 



species; ( + ) = some species only. Refer to Fig. 38. 



Characters mycler congrus ger Conger 



Lateral pigment 



A. A scattered row of spots below 



midlateral level (rarely) (+) 



B. A row of spots above and below 



midlateral level ( + ) ( + ) 



C. Many, small spots scattered 



below midlateral level ( + ) 



D. Single, small spots all over 



lateral surface ( + ) 



E. Spots scattered in groups over 

 lateral surface 



(+) 



(+) + 



(+) + (+) 



(+) + {+) + + {+) 



(+) 



(+) 



Head pigment 

 J. A crescentic patch below eye + 



K. Spots on throat + 



Gut pigment 

 L. Spots in two regular rows 

 from throat to anus 



1 . Close together (every 



1-2 segments) + + + + + 



2. Widely spaced (at least 

 in young) 



M. Spots m clumps on gut loops + 



Other pigment 



N. Above anal base + ( + ) 



O. Along anal base + + + + 



P. Along dorsal base + + 



Morphological 

 Q. Some lower teeth bicuspid 

 R. Upper teeth needle-like 

 S. Lower teeth needle-like 



