NO. 4 MYERS AND WADE : NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF EELS 73 



toward tip of tail. Tail shorter than head and trunk. Branchial region 

 greatly swollen, with jugostegalia very evident and reaching far up on 

 the dorsum. Dorsal fin inserted anterior to gill openings, slightly closer 

 to them than to eye, the fin very low and poorly developed anteriorly, be- 

 coming higher toward the end of the tail. Dorsal confluent with anal 

 around tip of tail. Anal fin inserted just posterior to anal opening. No 

 pectoral fins present. 



Head pointed, snout projecting beyond mouth. Anterior nostrils tubu- 

 lar, directed downward, near tip of snout. Posterior nostrils under edge 

 of upper lip below eye. All teeth uniserial; premaxillary teeth present, 

 visible when the mouth is closed. Lateral line prominent, continued for- 

 ward over the head to the tip of the snout, and sending ofiF accessory 

 branches dorsally and ventrally on the head. Pores around edges of upper 

 and lower jaws large, with raised rims. Pores of lateral line extending to 

 the surface through tubules, the outer end of these tubules slightly ele- 

 vated above the surface of the body. 



This genus is similar to Muraenichthys and Garmanichthys in the 

 absence of pectoral fins. It differs from them in the following: (1) the 

 very pointed head, (2) the insertion of the low anterior part of the dorsal 

 fin on the head anterior to the gill openings (instead of near vent as in 

 Muraenichthys and near the gill opening as in Garmanichthys) , (3) the 

 uniserial vomerine teeth, and (4) the short tail. 



Leptenchelys vermiformis, new species 

 Plate 10 



Holotype. — U.S. National Museum, no. 101785. 



Type locality. — Station 462-35, Playa Blanca, Costa Rica, dredged 

 in 40 fms., mud and sand bottom, February 8, 1935. 



Measurements of holotype in mm. — Total length 115, depth of body 

 posterior to branchial region 2.6, head and trunk 67, tail 48, head 11, 

 eye .5, snout 1.8, cleft of mouth 2.5. 



Description. — Body elongate, cylindrical, wonnlike; somewhat com- 

 pressed toward end of tail. Tail contained 1.39 in head and trunk, 2.39 

 in total length. Head 10.45 in total length, 6.09 in head and tiamk. 

 Snout short, 6.1 in head. Eye very small, 22 in head, 5 in snout. Cleft of 

 mouth 4.4 in head. Depth 44.23 in total length. Dorsal fin inserted on 

 head before gill openings, slightly nearer to them than to eye. Dorsal fin 

 low and poorly developed, except posteriorly on tail, where it becomes 



