CONGER. 
1037 
The genus of the Congers, which as defined above, 
after Ivaup“, contains a few (3 or 4) ascertained species, 
in the essential form of the body and fins resembles 
the preceding genus, only that the dorsal fin commences 
further forward. The character afforded by the form 
and distribution of the teeth (fig. 282) distinguishes it 
not only from the preceding genus, but also from three 
other genera* belonging to the family of the Eels. The 
most important skeletal differences from Anguilla are 
remarked above. Here we shall merely add that the 
nasal (supraethmoidal, spet) bones covering each nasal 
cavity are more developed in Conger, being indeed thin, 
but broad, and broken up anteriorly into a grating, 
with the openings set transversely or, at the extreme 
front, directed forwards. 
The generic name had a specific signification in 
Linnasus, and ought indeed to have retained this capa- 
city; but Cuvier" raised it to its present rank, which 
it has uniformly preserved in the system. Now that 
it has been proved (see above) that the formerly recog- 
nised genus Leptocephalus, which has occupied a place 
in the system since 1763, consists of larvie and dege- 
nerate forms, belonging in great part to the species of 
the common Conger, it may well be asked whether the 
Cuvierian generic name ought not to be replaced by 
the Gronovian. But at present, so long as there are 
Leptocephalus forms which cannot be referred with 
certainty to any definite species, the alteration might 
easily cause confusion"'. Furthermore, Conger has been 
known as a generic name ever since the time of 
AristotliC, and in the works of Belon 7 , Rondelet*, 
and WillughbyC 
THE CONGER (sw. hafsalen). 
CONGER NIGER. 
Plate XLV, fig. 2. 
Distance betiveen the dorsal fin and the tip of the snout about / 5 * 1 of the length of the body, or at most about 
'if °f that betiveen the anal fin and the same point. Length of the snout 1 / i or more of that of the head, 
which measures 2 / 3 — 3 / 4 of the distance betiveen the dorsal fin and the tip of the snout. Length of the pectoral 
fins about 1 /. — V, of the last-mentioned distance. 
R. br. 9*— 10; I). ca 275—300; A. ca 205—225; C. 10; 
P. 17 Vert. 153— 156 m . 
Syn. Murcena supremo margine pinnas dorsalis nigro, Art., Ichihyol., 
Gen., p. 24; Syn., p. 40. 
Murcena Conger, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, tom. I, p. 245; 
Bl., Naturg. Ausl. Fisch., pt. II, p. 37, tab. CLV; Ahl 
( Ophichthus ), Mur., Opli. (disp. Ups. 1789), p. 11; Mitch. 
(Anguilla), Lit., Phil. Trans. N. York, vol. I, p. 360; 
Pall. (Murcena), Zool. Ross. Asiat., tom. III. p. 72; Nilss., 
Prodr. Iclithyol. Scand., p. 64; Kr. (Anguilla), Danm. 
Fisk., vol. Ill, p. 603; Nilss. (Murcena), Skand. Fna, 
Fisk., p. 680; Bit. -Goode ( Leptocephalus ), Fisher ., Fisher. 
Inclustr. U. S., sect. I, p. 656, tab. 240. 
Murcena myrus, Brunn., Ichthyol. Massil., p. 12 (false de- 
term.). 
Eclielus Macropterus, Raf., Caratt. Ale. N. Gen., p. 64 
( + E. Gr uncus , p. 65), tab. XVII, figg. 2 et 3. 
Murcena nigra, Kisso, Ichthyol. Nice, p. 93 (+ Mur. conger, 
p. 92); Jord., Gilb. (Conger niger), Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus.. 
No. 16, p. 362; Coll., N. Mag. Naturv., Bd. 29 (1884), 
p. 113. 
“ Cat. Apod. Fish., Brit. Mus., p. 111. The characters were first pointed out, however, by Richardson in Ichthyol. Ereb., Terror , p. 107. 
6 Ophisoma, Swainson ( Congromurcena , Kaup, Gthr), Uroconger , Kp, and Poeeiloconger, Gtiir. 
c R'egn. Anim., ed. 1, tome II, p. 231. 
^ Jord., Gill., Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 16, p. 362, note. 
e rdyyQOg, Be Anim. Hist., lib. I, cap. V; lib. II, capp. XIII, XV, XVII; lib. Ill, cap. X; lib. VI, cap. XVII; lib. VIII, capp. XIII, 
XV ; lib. IX, cap. II. 
J Nat., Divers. Poiss., p. 159. 
g De Pise., lib. XIV, cap. I, p. 394. 
h Hist. Pise., lib. 4, cap. V, p. 111. 
1 19 — 20 %; in old specimens, according to Kroyer, up to 23 %. 
j 46—52 %. 
k Sometimes 8, according to Bleeker. 
1 „ 15, ,, ,, ,, , and 19, according to Day. 
m 154- — 164, according to Day. 
