Species: Bathycongrus thysanochilus, Fringelip Conger

Bathycongrus thysanochilus (Reid, 1934)

Fringelip Conger

Elongate (body depth at anus 12-17% length before anus), compressed; body short, 32-36% of TL; head 40-45% of preanal length; tail sharply tapering; tip of tail soft and flexible, with developed tail fin; snout thick, projecting 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 slightly behind base of pectoral fin; pectorals ~as long as mouth, elongate, pointed; lateral line complete, distinct, 26-29 pores before anus; pores absent behind and between eyes, 1 pore on nape between front of lateral lines.

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

Reaches 30 cm

Lives on mud and sand bottoms.

Depth range 104-659 m

Florida to the southern Caribbean