Jordan atid Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 353 



usually at moderate depths. Most of the species uudergo a metamorpho- 

 sis, the young being loosely organized and transparent, Land-shaped and 

 with very small head. The body grows smaller with increased age, 

 owing to the compacting of the tissues. (Murfcnidcv, part, Giinther, Cat., 

 viii, 37-44.) 



a. Vomerine teeth in bands, none of them canine-like ; lips thick. 



b. Dorsal fin inserted at a point behind base of pectoral, but nearer pectova! than vent; 

 head with inconspicuous mucous cavities ; jaws with an outer series of close-set 

 teeth, forming a cutting edge ; tail about half longer than rest of bodj'. 



Lkptocki'jiai.us, 155. 

 bb. Dorsal fin beginning over the gill opening ; bones of front of head witli large mucif- 

 erouR cavities ; mouth rather small ; jaws with bands of small teeth, the outer not 

 forming a cutting edge ; tail from half to two-thirds of total length. 



CONQEKMURiKNA, 15G. 



aa. Vomerine teeth uuiserial, some of them canine-like; maxillary teeth biserial ; dorsal 

 beginning above root of pectoral; cleft of mouth extending beyond middle of eye; 

 tail very long and slender, about half longer than rest of body. Uroconger, 157. 



155. LEPTOCEPHALUS (Gronow) Scopoli. 

 (Conger Eels.) 



(a) Larval Forms. 



Leptocephalus, Scopoli, Int. Hist. Nat., 453, 1777, (morrissi). 



Oxyiirus, Raiinesql'K, Caratteri, 19, 1810, {vrrmiformis). 



Hebnktis, Katinesque, Indico d'lttiologia Siciliana, 62, 1810, {punctalus). 



HebnichDiys, Costa, Fauna Napoli, Pesci, 1854, (diaphanus). 



? Ltptocephalichthys, Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sci. Ind. A"eerl., 1, Manado, 69, {Jii/pselosoma). 



? Diaphanichthys, Peters, Monatsber. Ak. Wiss. Berl., 399, 1864, (brevicaudits). 



(b) Adult Forms. 



Echelun, Rafinesque, Caratteri, etc., 63, 1810, (in part ; includes species of Conger, Opiiisoma and 



Myrtis ■ restricted bj' Bleeker to Myrtis). 

 Conger, Cuvier, Regne Animal, Ed. 11, 11, 350, 1829, {conger). 

 Ariosoma, Swainson, Nat. Hist., Class'n Fishes, l, 220, 1838, (no typo mentioned ; diagnosis 



worthless). 

 Ophkoma, SwAiNSON, Nat. Hist., Class'n Fishes, 11, 334, 1839, {acuta, ubtusa). Substitute for .IrtV 



soma ; not Ophisonms, Swainson, I. c, 227 = Mnnmoides, Lacepede. 

 Congrue, Richardson, Voyage Erebus & Terror, 107, 1844, {conger). 



Body formed as in Anguilla, the skin scaleless. Head depressed above, 

 anteriorly pointed. Lateral line present. Mouth wide, its cleft extend- 

 ing at least to below middle of eye. Teeth in outer series in each 

 jaw equal and close-set, forming a cutting edge ; no canines ; band of 

 vomerine teeth short. Tongue anteriorly free. Vertical fins well devel- 

 oped, confluent around the tail ; pectoral fins well developed ; dorsal 

 beginning close behind pectorals. Gill openings rather large, low. 

 Eyes well developed. Posterior nostril near eye ; anterior near tip of 

 snout, with a short tube. Lower jaw not projecting. Skeleton differing 

 in numerous respects from that of AiujuUla. Vertebra; about 56 + 100. 

 In most warm seas. This genus contains the well-known and widely 

 distributed Conger eel and three or four closely related species. The 

 earliest generic name used for members of the group is Lvptoccphalns, 

 based on a curious, elongate, transparent, baud-like creature with 



F. N. A. '-'4 



