EELS OF THE GENUS CONGER KANAZAWA 235 



Conger noordzieki Bleeker, 1857, p. 86 (type locality, Ambon); 18G4, p. 20, pi. 167, 

 figs. 2, 3.— Schultz and Collaborators, 1953, p. 83 (Marshall Islands). 



Leplocephalus riukiuanus Jordan and Snyder, 1901, p. 852, fig. 4 (type locality, 

 Rill Kill Islands). 



Leptoccphalus caudalus Fowler, 1912, p. 9 (type localitj^, coast of California?). 



Leplocephalus marginalus Fowler, 1912, p. 9 (Christmas Island). 



Conger marginalus Giinther, 1870, p. 38. 



Leplocephalus cinereus Herre, 1934, p. 16 (Philippines: Manila, Ciilion, Jolo). 



Forskalichthys cinereus Whitley, 1935, p. 219. — Fowler, 1944b, p. 187 (New 

 Hebrides). 



Specimens studied: 112 specimens, from 90 mm. to 923 mm. in 

 total length, from the Marshalls, Phoenix, Guam, Okinawa, Philip- 

 pines, Africa, and the Red Sea. 



Diagnosis: Vertebrae 139 to 146; sixth infraorbital pore above 

 rictus of jaw; infraorbital pores 7 to 9; preoperculo-mandibular pores 

 10; supraorbital pores 2; preorbital bone show the greatest amount of 

 ossification; pectoral rays 15 to 19; pores in lateral line 37 to 41; 

 black spot on pectoral fin more distinct and fully developed at total 

 length of about 2S0 mm. to 480 mm. 



Description: Distance from tip of snout to origin of dorsal fin 127 

 to 156; length of upper jaw (to rictus) 34 to 51; length of pectoral fin 

 29 to 42 ; supratemporal pore 1 ; infraorbital pores 7 to 9 ; preoperculo- 

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

 jaw 32 to 76; in lower jaw 31 to 72; vertebrae 139 to 146; two rows of 

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

 Bleeker (1864, p. 26) states anal rays 258 to 280, dorsal rays 288 to 

 296. Additional counts and proportional measurements are recorded 

 in tables 1-3, 5, 6, and figure 3. 



Dr. J. Randall (in litt.), who has observed the subspecies in the 

 field, believes it to be nocturnal. He states that at night it displays 

 the barred color pattern, broad dark gray bands showing on lighter 

 gray ground color. 



Geographical range: Marshall, Phoenix, and Christmas Islands, 

 Palmyra, New Caledonia, Guam, Okinawa, Japan, Philippines, 

 westward throughout the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, east coast of Africa, 

 and South Africa. Whitley (1935, p. 219) mentions specimens from 

 North Queensland, Australia. 



Remarks: For differences between Conger cinereus marginatus and 

 C. c. cinereus see remarks under marginatus. Dr. J. Bohlke examined 

 the type of Leptocejjhalus riukiuanus Jordan and Sn3^der (SNHM 

 6468) and informed me that the sixth infraorbital i)ore is above the 

 rictus of jaw instead of behind it and that the black diagonal streak 

 is present beneath the eye. These characteristics place tliis species in 

 the synonomy of C c. cinereus. 



463736—58 3 



