232 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. i08 



Conger cinereus marginatus Valenciennes 



Figures 4r-6 



Conger marginatus Valenciennes, 1841, p. 201, pi. 9, fig. 1 (type locality, Hawaii). — 



Kaup, 1856b, p. 114. 

 Leplocephalus marginatus Jordan and Evermann, 1905, p. 76. — Fowler, 1912, p. 9 



(Hawaii). 

 Conger cinereus Fowler, 1928, p. 37 (in part). 



Specimens studied: 74 specimens, from the various islands of the 

 Hawaiian chain, 115 mm. to 1004 mm. in total length. 



Diagnosis: Sixth infraorbital pore above rictus of jaw; 7 to 9 

 infraorbital pores; preoperculo-mandibular pores 10; supraorbital 

 pores 2; preorbital bone shows the greatest amount of ossification; 

 pectoral rays 17 to 20; pores in lateral line 39 to 42; black spot on 

 pectoral fully developed at total length about 215 mm., and black spot 

 diffused; vertebrae 148 to 152, 



Description: Distance from tip of snout to origin of dorsal fin 132 

 to 160, length of upper jaw (to rictus) 42 to 56, length of pectoral 

 29 to 49; supratemporal pore 1 ; infraorbital pores 7 to 9; preoperculo- 

 mandibular pores 10; supraorbital pores 2; compressed teeth in upper 

 jaw 30 to 62; in lower jaw 30 to 60; vertebrae 148-152; two rows of 

 teeth in jaws; premaxillary tooth-patch wider than long. Additional 

 counts and proportional measurements are recorded in tables 1-3, 

 5, 6 and in figure 5. 



The black pectoral spot begins to appear at a total length of about 

 115 mm. and is fully developed at about 215 mm. (fig. 6); the black 

 on distal edge of anal and dorsal fins is fully developed at about 

 140 mm. 



Geographical range: Hawaiian Islands. 



Remarks: The number of vertebrae may prove to be a good char- 

 acter to separate Conger cinereus cinereus and C. c. cinereus as full 

 species; however, more counts from the various localities are needed. 

 The two forms will be left as subspecies for the present. Vertebrae 

 counts taken of the two forms, by localities, are as follows: Marshall 

 Islands, Rongerik Island 139; Samoa, Tau Island 144; New Hebrides 

 139, 140; Guam 141; Okinawa 141, 145; Red Sea 141; South Africa 

 146, 146; Hawaiian Islands, Oahu, Honolulu 148, 148, 150, 151, and 

 Waimea Bay 148, 151, 152, and Hawaii 149, 151. 



In Conger cinereus marginatus the distance from the upper postor- 

 bital pore (ninth infraorbital pore) to edge of eye is usually equal to 

 the distance from the lower postorbital pore (seventh infraorbital pore) 

 to eye, whereas in C c. cinereus the former distance is usually greater 

 than that of the latter distance. 



In C. c. marginatus the black spot is fully developed when the eels 

 are about 215 mm. long, whereas in C. c. cinereus it is not fully de- 



