356 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



probably belonging to this species lately obtained at Charleston, S. C, 

 by Mr. E. E. Earll. 



(Limamurcena melanotis Kaiip, Aale Hamburg Mus. 27; Giinther, viii, 98.) 



aa. Posterior nostril witliout tube. (GymnotJiorax* Bloch & Schneider. ) 



579. M. mordax Ayres. — Conger Eel. 



Dark brown, vaguely reticulated with narrow, x^aler markings and 

 spots; a round dark blotch about gill-openingj lower side of head and 

 throat with about 15 dark lengthwise streaks; belly with similar 

 streaks running crosswise; a dark line on each side of base of anal, 

 with short cross-branches. Snout short, narrow, and pointed. Occip- 

 ital region becoming fleshy and much elevated with age. Tail form- 

 ing about half the total length. Head 7 in length. Tube of anterior 

 nostril half as long as the eye; posterior nostril with a slight border. 

 Eye above the middle of the gape, 2| in snout, which is 6J in rest of 

 head. Gill-opening slightly larger than eye. Sides of upi)er jaw with 

 two series of teeth posteriorly, the outer series of small, close-set, re- 

 curved, triangular teeth, which are immovable; inner teeth about 5, 

 similar, but larger, depressible; a groove between the two series; in 

 front of these, continuous with the outer series, are 3 fixed, knife- 

 shaped teeth, then a movable tooth, then 3 fixed teeth; on the middle 

 line of vomer 3 depressible fangs, the posterior the largest of the teeth ; 

 in the lower jaw a single series, corresponding to the outer series in 

 the upper jaw, some of the front teeth enlarged and fixed. Eeaches a 

 length of 5 feet. Point Concepcion to Caj^e San Lucas; abundant 

 about the islands, and remarkable for its ferocity. 

 (Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1859, 30.) 



3§®. M. ©ccMata (Agassiz) Jenyns. 



Teeth uuiserial, some of them slightly serrated. Mandible with 12-14 

 teeth on each side, the two anterior being canines of moderate size; 

 ''intermaxillary" teeth not much larger than "maxillary"; there are 

 no teeth on the mesial line between the "intermaxillary" teeth. The 

 mouth can be shut completely. Anterior nasal tubes short. Snout 

 short, thick. Eye rather small. Cleft of the mouth of moderate width, 

 extending beyond eye. Tail longer than the body. Head about half 

 as long as trunk. Brownish, with numerous, small round white spots 

 irregularly disposed, the largest about as large as the eye. Dorsal fin 



* Blocli & Sohneideu, Syst. Icbtb. 525, 528 ; originally equivalent to Murcena. 

 {yv/.ivo^, naked; Oopa^, cbest; in allusion to tl^e absence of iJectorals.) 



