Genus: Gnathophis, Conger Eel, Conger Eels

GNATHOPHIS

CONGER EELS

Head pointed; tail much greater than half TL; snout long, overhanging, with ventral keel; eye large, well back on head; mouth ~horizontal; top lip with narrow flange; teeth simple, conical, in bands on both jaws; length of elongate tooth patch at front roof of mouth at least 1/2 that of top jaw tooth band; front nostril a tube pointing down and forwards, rear nostril an oval hole immediately before eye, at or above mid-eye level; top of gill opening below top of pectoral fin base; pectorals well developed, base ends above gill opening; dorsal fin origin over rear end of pectoral fin; dorsal and anal fins with segmented rays, confluent with tail fin; tail tip slightly stiff, with small fin; a complete lateral line, 1 or more front lateral line pores elevated.

A circumtropical genus, except for western Indian Ocean and central Pacific, with 25 members; 3 west Atlantic species in our region, 2 in shallow water.