Genus: Gnathophis, 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 ~1/3 that of jaw tooth bands; 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; 1 endemic species occurs in our region.