Species: Bathycongrus polyporus, Many-pored conger

Bathycongrus polyporus  (Smith & Kanazawa, 1977)

Many-pored conger

Elongate (body depth at anus 11-15% length before anus), compressed; body short, 37-44% of TL;  head 30-32% of preanal length; tail only moderately tapering; tip of tail soft and flexible, with developed tail fin;  snout thick, projecting very little before lower jaws;  front nostril a small, short tube near front of snout; rear nostril a hole near level of top of eye;  mouth wide, reaches back  past center of eye; lip flanges well developed on lower jaw, absent on top jaw; top lip with large pores; teeth on top jaws and on side of lower jaws not visible when mouth is closed; teeth moderately large, both jaws with narrow bands of teeth, wider at front, outer row larger; teeth between front of top jaws in 3 transverse rows, separated from those on top jaws and vomer, exposed when mouth is closed;  vomer with  a round patch of teeth, 1-2 central teeth enlarged, more or less confluent with top jaw teeth at front, a row of larger teeth along center; gill openings separated below, extend ½ way up pectoral base; dorsal and anal fins with segmented rays, moderately deep, joined to tail fin; dorsal fin origin over / slightly behind tip of pectoral fin; pectorals ~as long as mouth, elongate, pointed; lateral line complete, distinct, 46-49 pores before anus; pores present behind and between eyes, 3 pores across nape between front of lateral lines.

Preserved fish: brown, fins with black edges at rear.

Reaches 43 cm

Lives on mud and sand bottoms.

Depth range 439-539 m

The straits of Florida