158 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



in 455 fathoms, on the Grampus in July 1908. It 

 must be extremely abundant along that zone, how- 

 ever, for so many to find their way into the trap 

 in as short a set as two hours. And it has been 

 recorded so often in water as shoal as 200 fathoms 

 that it may be expected in the bottom of the 

 Eastern Channel and in the southeastern deeps of 

 the Gulf of Maine. 



Long-nosed eel Synaphobranchus pinnatus 

 (Gronow) 1854 



Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 351. 



Description. — This deep-sea species, a typical 

 eel in general appearance, is readily identifiable 

 among its tribe by the fact that while its dorsal 

 fin originates about as far back as in the common 

 eel (p. 151), relative to the length of the fish, its 

 point of origin is considerably behind the vent 

 instead of in front of the latter, and that its anal 

 fin originates considerably in front of the dorsal 

 fin instead of behind it as is the case in all other 

 Gulf of Maine eels. Furthermore, its mouth is 

 much wider, gaping far back of the eye, and its 

 snout is pointed. The most interesting anatomic 

 characteristic of this eel is that its gill openings, 

 opening longitudinally on the lower side of the 

 throat, join together in front, apparently as a 

 single V-shaped aperture, though actually they are 

 separate within. 



Color. — Grayish, darkest below, with the ver- 

 tical fins darker behind but pale-edged in front, 

 and with the inside of the mouth blue black. 



Size. — The largest of 89 specimens measured by 

 Goode and Bean was nearly 22 inches (545 mm.) 

 long, the smallest about 9 inches (221 mm.) The 

 largest we trawled on the Caryn, in June 1949, 

 was 24 inches (605 mm.) long. Collett " mentions 

 one 26% inches (675 mm.) long from the Azores. 



" Result, des Camp. Sci. Prince de Monaco, Pt. 10, 1896, p. 154. 



Habits. — Nothing is known of its habits except 

 that it is a ground fish; that the readiness with 

 which it bites a baited hook proves it predaceous; 

 and that specimens in spawning condition have 

 been taken in summer. 78 On June 17, 1949 in 

 lat. 42° 38' N., long. 64° 04' W., in 400-460 

 fathoms, we trawled many on the Caryn, both 

 males and females, 18^ to 24 inches (470-605 

 mm.) long that had well developed gonads, one 

 female having already spawned. The ripe eggs 

 are orange in color and about 1 mm. in diameter. 

 In its development it passes through a lepto- 

 cephalus stage even more slender than that of the 

 American conger (p. 156), and its body segments 

 (144-149) overlap those of the American conger 

 (140-149) in number. 



General range. — This deep-water species has a 

 wide distribution. In the western side of the 

 North Atlantic it has been taken at many local- 

 ities along the continental slope from the offing 

 of South Carolina to the Grand Banks; it is known 

 in the east from the Cape Verdes; off Morocco; 

 from the Canaries; from the Azores; near Madeira; 

 also from the Faroe Bank and Faroe-Shetland 

 Channel. And its leptocephalan larvae have been 

 taken in such numbers from north of Spain to 

 south of Iceland that it must be one of the most 

 plentiful of deep-water fishes there. 79 It is also 

 recorded off Brazil in the South Atlantic; likewise 

 in the Arabian Sea; about the Philippines; and in 

 Japanese waters, or is represented there by a very 

 close relative. Most of the captures have been 

 from depths of 300 to about 2,000 fathoms, but it 

 has been taken as shoal as 129 fathoms. 



" The "leptocephalus" larvae of the long-nosed eel axe described, with 

 photographs by Schmidt (Rapp. et Proc. Verb. Cons. Perm. Intemat. 

 Eiplor. Mer, vol. 6, No. 4, 1906, p. 191, pi. 9, flgs. 4-6; and Meddel. Komm- 

 Havunderstfgelser, Ser, Flskeri, vol. 3, No. 6, 1909, p. 7). 



i» This fact is commented on by Schmidt (Rapp. Cons. Perm. Intemat. 

 Eiplor. Mer, vol. 5, No. 4, 1906, p. 191). For further details as to its distri- 

 bution see Koefoed, Rept. Michad Surj North Atlantic Eiped., (1910), vol. 

 4, Pt. 1, 1927, pp. 11, 14. 



Figure 72. — Long-nosed eel (Synaphobranchus pinnatus), La Have Bank. From Goode and Eean. Drawing by 



H. L. Todd. 



