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Conger Eels
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THIS family includes those eels which are scaleless, and have the tongue largely free in front, the body moderately elongate, the end of the tail surrounded by a fin, the posterior nostril remote from the upper lip and near the eye, and the pectoral fins well developed. All the species are plainly coloured, grayish or dusky brown above, silvery below, and the dorsal edged with black.
The 3 recognized genera contain about 15 species, inhabiting most warm seas usually at moderate depths. Most of the species undergo a metamorphosis, the young being loosely organized and transparent, band-shaped and with a very small head.
b. Dorsal fin inserted behind the pectoral, but nearer pectoral than vent; Leptocephalus
bb. Dorsal fin beginning over the gill-opening; Congermuraena
aa. Vomerine teeth uniserial, some of them canine-like; Uroconger
The 2 species of Leptocephalus in our waters are L. conger and L. caudilimbatus. The former is the conger eel which is generally common on both coasts of the Atlantic, from Cape Cod to Brazil in America. It occurs also on the coasts of Africa and Asia, but is not known from the eastern Pacific. It reaches a length of 7 or 8 feet and, though not much used in this country, it is an important food-fish in Europe. The other species (L. caudilimbatus) is found in the tropical parts of the Atlantic. It is not uncommon in the West Indies where it is used as food, and it ranges north at least to Pensacola and the Bahamas. It also occurs about Madeira.
Five species of Congermuraena are found in our limits. They are all of small size and of little food value.
Only one species of Uroconger is known from our waters. It is of no value as a food-fish.