400 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



Neomursena nigromarginata, GIEARD, U. S. and Mex. Bound. Surv., 76, pi. 41, 1859, St. Joseph 



Island, Texas. (Coll. Wiirdemann). 



Sidera nigromarginata, JORDAN & EVEBMANN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., 1886, 473. 

 Gmnothorax occellatus nigromarginatus. JORDAN & DAVIS, I. c., 606. 



191. MURCENA (Artedi) Linnaeus. 



(MORAYS.) 



Mursena, ARTEDI, Gen. Pise., 23, 1738, (in part ; includes all eels). 



Mursena, KLEIN, Hist. Nat. Pise., 28, 1742, (in part ; includes all eels without pectoral fins). 



Mursena, LINN^US, x, 243, 1758, (Helena, etc., includes all eels). 



Mursena, THUNBERG & AHL, De Mursena et Ophictho, 6, 1789, (restricted to helena, etc., includes 



species without pectoral fins). 



Gymnothorax, BLOCK, Ichthyologia, 1795, Morays, (retieularis). 

 Mursena, GUNTHER, and of authors generally, (not of BLEEKER). 

 Mursenophis, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 630, 1803, (helena, etc.). 

 Limamursena, KAUP, Apodes, 95, 1856, (gutlata). 



This genus as now restricted contains some ten species found in the 

 tropical seas, distinguished from Lycodontis and from the rest of the 

 family by the presence of two pairs of nasal barbels. The name Murcena, 

 originally applied to all eels, should be restricted to the group typified 

 by Murcena helena. It was first limited by Thunberg & Ahl, in 1789, to 

 the eels with out pectoral fins, those with such fins being set off as 

 Ophichthus. (Mvpatva, (Moray), ancient name of Murcena helena.) 



a. Teeth of upper jaw in one series ;* all the teeth uniserial in the adult, those of the upper 



jaw sometimes biserial in the young. 

 6. Mouth capable of being completely closed. 



c. Body with round pale spots, most numerous on belly and tail, the ground color 



dark brown ; gill opening black. INSXJLARUM, 659. 



cc. Body with many very fine yellow spots, the ground color brown, with three rows 



of diffuse yellow blotches. ARGUS, 660. 



bb. Mouth not closing completely, the jaws curved along the gape ; body with well-defined 



reticulations, inclosing yellowish spots ; gill opening black. RETIFERA, 661. 



aa. Teeth of sides of upper jaw biserial, those of the inner series larger and farther apart ; jaws 



capable of being completely closed. 

 d. Body scantily spotted, the spots obscure and whitish ; gill opening largely blacK. 



MELANOTIS, 662. 



dd. Body profusely spotted, the spots light yellow, edged with brown ; gill opening merely 

 dusky. LENTIGINOSA, 663. 



659. MURJENA INSULARTJM, Jordan & Davis. 



Mouth capable of being completely closed, the jaws being nearly straight 

 along the commissure. Teeth all uniserial, entire, directed backwards, 

 most of them movable ; lower teeth 12 on each side, rather remote and 

 comparatively large ; no larger canines in front of upper jaw ; teeth of 

 upper jaw subequal, about 12 on each side, those in front smallest; vomer- 

 ine teeth small, uniserial, directed backward; posterior nasal tubes well 

 developed, nearly as large as anterior ; dorsal beginning before gill open- 

 ing; eye over middle of gape, 2^ in snout; snout 2 in gape; head 2| in 

 trunk ; gape 2 in head ; head and trunk a trifle shorter than tail. Color 

 very dark leather-brown or almost black ; throat marbled with paler ; a 



* Character not verified in Mursena argus, which may belong to oa. 



