The Osteology of the Congrid Eel Gorgasia punctata and the 
Relationships of the Heterocongrinae 1 
Richard H. Rosenblatt 2 
ABSTRACT : The osteology of Gorgasia punctata is described, figured, and com- 
pared with that of other congrids. Gorgasia is clearly referable to the subfamily 
Heterocongrinae. The heterocongrines agree with the Congridae in several important 
features, and do not differ in fundamental respects. Therefore, the group is recog- 
nized as a subfamily of the Congridae. Gorgasia is the most primitive hetero- 
congrine, and agrees with the anagoine congrids in having a lateral ethmoid process. 
Because of this and other similarities it is suggested that the Anagoinae and 
Heterocongrinae arose from a common stem. The genus Xarifania was erected on 
the erroneous basis of lack of caudal rays. 
The congrid eel Gorgasia punctata was placed 
by its describers in the little known apodal 
family Derichthyidae (Meek and Hildebrand, 
1923). Bohlke (1951) was the first to point 
out that the affinities of Gorgasia were with 
Heteroconger. Gosline (1952) provisionally 
placed Heteroconger and Gorgasia in the Con- 
gridae. Bohlke (1957) described the osteology 
of the related Nystactichthys halis and placed 
the eels allied to Heteroconger in the Congridae, 
but considered them to constitute the distinct 
subfamily Heterocongrinae. 
Bohlke considered Gorgasia to be the most 
primitive genus of the Heterocongrinae on the 
basis of its more complete complement of head 
pores, its uncoalesced upper labial flanges 
(called by him the "free edge of lip”), a well- 
developed pectoral fin, and its unspecialized 
maxillary dentition. He considered Gorgasia to 
be specialized, however, in that the caudal rays 
are much reduced and covered by thick skin. 
Internal characters were not considered, since 
the only complete specimen then available was 
the holotype. 
Recent collections made by personnel of the 
Scripps Institution of Oceanography have 
amassed rich material of several species of 
1 Contribution from the Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 
and the Institute of Fisheries, University of British 
Columbia. Manuscript received December 22, 1965. 
2 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University 
of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California. 
It is synonymized with Taenioconger. 
eastern Pacific heterocongrines, including Gor- 
gasia punctata. Because of previous uncertainties 
regarding the exact position of Gorgasia in eel 
classification, a study of the osteology of this 
species seemed worthwhile. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
The figures were drawn under my supervision 
by E. David Lane. Part of the cost of this 
investigation was defrayed by a grant to the 
Institute of Fisheries, University of British 
Columbia, from the H. R. McMillan Expedition- 
ary Fund. The specimen of T aenio conger has si 
used in this study was collected as a part of the 
U. S. Biological Program, Indian Ocean Ex- 
pedition. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
The two adults of Gorgasia punctata were 
taken from a series of 69 (SIO62-720-26A, 
Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico). 
These were bone-stained with alizarin and 
cleared in glycerine. The neurocranium was dis- 
sected out of one specimen, and the drawings 
were made from the dried preparation. In 
addition I have utilized single-stained and 
cleared specimens of Taenioconger digueti 
Chabanaud (SI065-278, Gulf of California), 
T. herrei Wade (SI061-261, Gulf of Califor- 
nia), T. hassi 3 (Klausewitz and Eibl-Eibesfeldt) 
3 Taenioconger hassi was originally described in 
the genus Xarifania, of which it is the type species 
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