76 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
a. Vertical fins well developed, dorsal beginning before vent. 
b. Posterior nostril an oblong slit; anterior in a short tube; teeth all pointed; dorsal beginning above gill-opening; 
canine teeth strong: tail moderate Enchelycore 
bb. Posterior nostril circular, with or without tube; tail moderate, not twice as long as trunk; body not excessively 
elongate. 
c. Teeth all, or nearly all, acute, none of those in jaws obtuse or molar-like. 
d. Anterior nostrils without tube; vomerine teeth in many series; lips with a free fold Pythonichthys 
del. Anterior nostrils each with a long tube; vomerine teeth in one or two series; lips continuous with skin of head. 
e. Posterior nostrils without tube, margins sometimes slightly raised. 
f. Dorsal fin inserted behind head, over or behind the gill-opening Rabula 
ff. Dorsal fin inserted on head, considerably before gill-opening Lycodontis, 17 
ee. Posterior nostrils as well as anterior each in a conspicuous tube-. Mur^na 
cc. Teeth mostly obtuse, molar-like; only anterior nostrils tubular; cleft of mouth rather short; dorsal beginning 
before gill-opening Echidna, 18 
aa. Vertical fins rudimentary, confined to end of tail (often appreciable only on dissection, or altogether wanting); 
teeth rather small, pointed, subequal, in several series; posterior nostril round, with a short tube, or none, 
Channomur.ena 
Genus 17. LYCODONTIS McClelland. 
This genus, as here understood, comprises the great bulk of the Murxnidx, including all the 
species with sharp teeth, the body normally formed, anterior nostrils only tubular, and the dorsal fin 
beginning on head. Priodonophis with serrated teeth has been recognized as a distinct genus by 
Bleeker, but the character in question disappears by degrees and seems not to be suitable for- generic 
distinction. The morays of this genus are everywhere abundant in tropical seas, where some reach a 
great size. They are the most active and voracious of the eels, often showing much pugnacity. Most 
of them live in shallow water about rocks or reefs. Four species known from Porto Rico. 
a. Teeth all entire, with no serrations anywhere, and none of them with basal lobes. 
b. Body without small, round, bluish-white or yellow spots, the spots, if any, blackish or dull-grayish; dorsal without 
distinct paler margin, or with merely the very edge whitish. 
c. Dorsal with a distinct black margin; anal with a pale edge; teeth uniserial vicinus 
cc. Dorsal without distinct, darker margin, its border colored nearly or quite like rest of fin. 
d. Body and tail covered with close-set dark points; tail longer than rest of body virescens 
dd. Body and tail not covered with close-set dark points. 
c. Color olivaceous or brownish, with conspicuous markings, marblings or spots darker than the ground-color; belly 
without distinct transverse lines, marked like the back and sides; tail slightly longer than rest of body. 
/. Dark markings forming narrow reticulations, never rounded spots; these reticulations dark-lilac in color, covering 
back and sides, some of them inclosing irregular polygons polygonius 
ff. Dark markings in the form of rounded spots, more or less confluent, sometimes obscuring the pale ground- 
color , moringa, 19 
ee. Color dark-brown, dark-green, or blackish, either plain or with faint markings. 
g. Belly with black, wavy, transverse lines; no dark lines along dorsal fin mordax 
gg. Belly without black transverse lines; body nearly plain dark olive-brown. 
h. Dorsal and anal with dark longitudinal streaks; chin pale but not white funebris, 20 
hh. Dorsal and anal without dark longitudinal streaks; chin white albimentis , 21 
eee. Color brownish-black with irregular pale-grayish spots of various sizes; margin of anal not pale; cleft of mouth 
less than half head sanctse-helense 
bb. Body with distinct small spots, blue, white, or yellow. 
i. Dorsal and anal without distinct colored margin; pale spots mostly smaller than eye. 
j. Teeth of upper jaw uniserial. 
k. Vomerine teeth uniserial; spots irregular, few, and scattered; dorsal colored like back. 
kk. Vomerine teeth biserial; entire body covered with small blue dots; dorsal with vertical bluish streaks. . conspersus 
jj. Teeth of upper jaw biserial; body with small yellow spots. 
l. Vomerine teeth uniserial, mostly small and rounded; color nearly uniform from head to tail; spots innumer- 
able miliaris 
ll. Vomerine teeth biserial, small and rounded; color dark-brown, with yellow points excessively numerous, elaboratus 
ii. Dorsal with a blackish border, interrupted with white; anal with white markings; body with close-set, irregular 
pale spots. 
m. Body greenish, marbled with brownish, almost obscured by the ground-color obscuratus 
vim. Body rich-yellow or tawny; head and body covered with small, round, white spots jordani , 22 
Priodonophis: 
aa. Teeth serrate, more or less. 
n. Color brown, with irregular light-yellowish spots irregularly placed; dorsal with large, dark spots on its edge, these 
sometimes obsolete, usually running together to form a continuous dark band; anal black-edged; teeth large, 
uniserial, the larger ones serrate; mouth nearly closing ocellatus 
