PISCES, TRUE FISH 



449 



Family Argentiuidae. — Argentines. This is a small group of 

 northern or deep-sea species. 



Suborder Apodes. — Eels, etc. 



Family Anguillidae. — True Eels. Fishes with elongated slender 

 body and no pelvic fins. The scales are embedded in the skin. They 

 are among the most voracious of fishes and are quite hardy. Eels 

 come several hundred miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico in the 



Fig. 244. — European carp, Cyprinus carpio. a, scale carp; b, leather carp. 

 (From Metcalf, Textbook of Economic Zoology, published by Lea and Febiger, 

 after Smith, Fishes of North, Carjlina.) 



streams of the Southwest. They go out to sea to spawn and the 

 young make their way back up the streams. It is thought that the 

 female spawns once and then dies. 



Family Congridae. — Conger Eels. A group of marine eels, dis- 

 tantly related to the Anguillidae, the common eel. They are with- 

 out scales, and the body is often entirely black. 



Family Ophichthyidae. — Snake Eels. These eels are also without 

 Bcales and have the tongue more or less adherent. 



