23,2 H err e: Philippine Eels 191 



but in all this group older and larger specimens have the trunk 

 longer proportionately. 



This species may be distinguished from Aphthalmichthys java- 

 nicus by its stouter habit of body and by the much shorter dis- 

 tance between the anus and the origin of the fold of skin which 

 represents the anal fin. In other respects the description of 

 javanicus might serve for this species. 



Found throughout the East Indies, ranging northward to the 

 Riu Kiu Islands, and southeast to the Fiji Islands. Previous 

 Philippine records are from Ticao Island, and from southern 

 Negros. 



A shore- and reef-dwelling species, burrowing in mud, sand, 

 and gravel, and entering the mouths of streams. 

 Aphthalmichthys javanicus Kaup. 



Aphtkalmiei : P, Arch. Natur. 22 1 (1856) 68; Cat. 



Apod. Fishes Brit. Mus. (1856) 105, pi. 14, fig. 71; Bleeker, Atlas 

 Ichth. Muran. 4 (1864) 16, pi. 2, fig. 2; Jordan and Snyder, Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. 23 (1901) 877. 

 Moringua javanica Gunther, Fische d. Sudsee 3 (1910) 405; Weber 

 and Beaufort, Fishes Indo-Austr. Arch. 3 (1916) 342, fig. 164. 



Body exceedingly wormlike in color and in general appear- 

 ance; no pectorals; dorsal and anal reduced to mere threadlike 

 folds and only developed, and then but slightly, around the tip 

 of the rather blunt tail ; origin of anal about the length of head 

 or a little more from anus; origin of dorsal approximately 

 opposite anal; lateral line prominent, with numerous pores, 

 beginning on occiput or halfway between eyes and gill slits; 

 head small, weak, depressed, lower jaw projecting and relatively 

 much stouter; cleft of mouth extending far behind eyes, which 

 are very small, rudimentary, and covered with thick skin ; ante- 

 rior nostrils with short tubes, the posterior ones immediately 

 in front of eyes, their rims with a flap on anterior side; teeth 

 in a single row, pointed, recurved, the front ones much the 

 larger and stronger. 



A specimen from Dumaguete, Oriental Negros, has the follow- 

 ing dimensions: Length, 387 millimeters; depth, 6.5; head, 26; 

 trunk, 242; tail, 110; cleft of mouth, 4.5; distance from anus to 

 origin of anal, 31 ; eye 26 in head. 



In a Philippine specimen obtained from the Manila Normal 

 School collection, exact locality unknown, the dimensions are 

 as follows: Length, 333 millimeters; depth, about 6; head, 23; 

 trunk, 215; tail, 92; snout, 3.5; cleft of mouth, 4.5; origin of 

 anal 25 millimeters behind anus; eye minute, about 30 in head. 



