Jordan and Evermann.— Fishes of North America. 



359 



c Teeth in jaws iu several Beries, those of one series enlarged and compressed, long 



canines in front ; vomer with several long series of teeth, the middle one of 



. , Muua:nesox, 158. 



conical canines. 



cc Teeth all conical, slender and sharp, those of jaws in wide bands ; maxillary with 



a deep groove, running the entire length of the bone, dividing the band of 



teeth into two portions; shaft of vomer with a median series of conical 



. Xesomystax, 159. 



hh Teeth in jaws'biserial, small; vomer with a series of long, pointed canines; tail about 



4 times as long as rest of body; gill openings narrow. Hoplunnis, 160. 



BTll.BlsriN.i-: 

 aa Dorsal and anal fuis vorv low anteriorly, developed chiefly on the tail. 



■ d Tail abont as long as rest of body; teeth moderate ; dorsal beginning b.'foro the vent. 



• AA. Tail short, little more than half as long as rest of body; teeth all unisenal, unequal, 



some of them canine-like; body very slender, whip-shaped. 



8 Body moderately elongate, the diameter more than one-thirtieth the length; 



dorsal beginning just before vent. Neoconger, 161. 



et Body whip-shaped, the diameter less than one-fiftieth the length. 



/. Dorsal fin beginning not far behind pectoral. LErToroNOER, 162. 



//. Dorsal fin beginning behind the vent. Stilbiscus, 163. 



///. Dorsal fin beginnins close behind the nape. Gordiichthys, 164. 



158. MURiENESOX, McClelland. 



Uur^ltnc^ox, McClelland, Calcutta Journ. Nat Hist., iv, 408, 1843, {tricu^-guXala). 

 Cynopomlcns, Costa, Fauna Napoli, Pesci., pi. 28, 1850, {ferox = savanna). 

 Brachyconger, Bleeker, Nederl. Tidsskr., Dierkunde, 11, 236, 1805, (savanna). 

 CongresoT, Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1890, 234, {talabo,,). 



Body robust. Dorsal and anal fins well developed, the dorsal begin- 

 ning nearly above gill opening. Mouth large ; teeth in jaws in several 

 series, those of one series enlarged and depressed, forming long canines 

 in front; vomer with several long series of teeth, the middle one of 

 strong canines. This genus contains numerous species, large, conger-like 

 eels, some of which are found in all warm seas. They are remarkable 

 for the strong armature of the vomer. {Murwna ; Esox, pike. ) 



'^rwldian teeth on vomer enlarged, compressed, and euU.ate ; median teeth on side of lower 



jaw also enlarged and compressed or blnntish. 



6 Middle series of teeth on vomer not distinctly tricuspidate ; pectoral rather more than 



, „ , , CONICEPS, 588. 



half head. . 



66 Mi.ldle series of teeth on vomer distinctly tricuspidate iu young, becoming entire with 



, „.w ■ , , SAVANNA, 589. 



age ; pectoral 2-o in heail. 



Subgenus MURiCNESOX. 

 588. MUR.ENESOX CONICEPS, Jordan & Gilbert. 



Vomer with a median row of about 15 very large, strong teeth, which 

 are much compressed, the tip angular and directed backwards, and with a 

 nick on the posterior edge, thus : TT^ ; one or two of the anterior teeth only 

 slightlv tricuspidate ; on each side of the median row on vomer some very 

 small, blunt teeth, disappearing anteriorly, arranged in one or two rows 

 verv close to the median row ; jaws with one or two outer rows of small, 

 blunt teeth, next a row of rather largo, wedge-shaped teeth, and then an 

 inner band of small, conical, blnnt teeth in two, three, or four series; 

 front of both jaws with groups of canines, which are shorter than the 



