196 The Philippine Journal of Science 1923 



Echidna polyzona (Richardson). 



Mursena polyzona RICHARDSON, Voyage Sulphur, Fishes 3 (1844) 112, 



pi. 55, figs. 11-14. 

 Echidna polyzona Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Muraen. 4 (1864) 81, pi. 24, 



fig. 3; Jordan and Richardson, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fisheries 27 



(1907) (1908) 241; Weber and Beaufort, Fishes Indo-Austr. Arch. 



3 (1916) 346, fig. 169. 

 Echidna tritor Vaillant and Sauvage, Rev. et Mag. Zool. Ill 3 



(1875) 287. 

 Echidna zonata Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. (1900) 495, 



pi. 18, fig. 2; Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 23 



(1903) (1905) 108, fig. 31. 

 Echidna zonophaea Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Coram. 



22 (1902) (1904) 167; Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 23 (1903) (1905) 



109, pi. 21. 

 Echidna leihala Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 22 (1902) (1904) 



428, fig. 9; Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 23 

 (1903) (1905) 109, fig. 32. 



Echidna vincta Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 22 (1902) (1904) 



429, fig. 10. 



Echidna obscura Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 22 (1902) (1904) 



430, fig. 11; Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 23 

 (1903) (1905) 107, fig. 30. 



Echidna psalion Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 22 (1902) (1904) 



431, fig. 12; Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 23 

 (1905) (1907) 106, fig. 29. 



The variability of this eel is attested by the numerous names 

 which have been applied to its various color phases by different 

 authors. 



Depth in total length 15 to 18, head 6.5 to 8.3 ; head and trunk 

 equal to or a little shorter or longer than tail; eye 8 to 10 in 

 head and a little more than once to twice in snout; gape 2.5 

 to 3,2 in head, extending well beyond eye. 



Body compressed, the tail strongly so and tapering poste- 

 riorly; head narrow, strongly elevated between eyes and gill 

 openings, which are small horizontal slits about the midline of 

 body; lower jaw curved, so that not all teeth touch, this fact 

 concealed by the thick fleshy lips ; teeth varying much with age, 

 those on maxillary small, usually in two rows; those on vomer 

 large, close-set molars, increasing in size posteriorly; those on 

 intermaxillary plate form an outer series more or less sharp, 

 inclosing three much larger molar teeth extending down the 

 middle; sometimes the molars are more numerous and form 

 an irregular group ; teeth on lower jaw in a double row, which 

 becomes a triple row posteriorly in old specimens, those in outer 

 row somewhat smaller ; origin of dorsal before gill openings. 



