Congriscus maldivensis

description

Description of Taiwanese specimens. Head length 15.1 – 17.4 % of TL; preanal length 41.5 – 43.4; predorsal length 17.5 – 20.2; trunk length 24.3 – 27.0; tail length 56.6 – 58.5. Depth at gill opening 39.5 – 56.5 % of HL; depth at anus 24.8 – 42.5; interorbital width 7.3 – 12.5; interbranchial width 12.0 – 36.1; eye diameter 19.2 – 24.1; snout length 22.9 – 28.0; pectoral fin 31.4 – 38.8; gill opening 9.3 – 17.8; upper jaw length 33.1 – 42.6; lower jaw length 27.7 – 38.1. Body stout, anteriorly oval in cross section, gradually becoming compressed posteriorly; trunk length about one fourth of total length; tail much longer than body, exceeding body about a half of total length. Dorsal-fin origin slightly behind base of pectoral fin. Anal fin starting immediately behind anus. Gill opening moderately small, slightly smaller than eye diameter. Head medium sized; snout moderately long; eye moderately large, slightly shorter than snout. Upper and lower jaws with well-developed lips; upper jaw slightly protruding beyond lower jaw. Mouth moderately large, rictus extending to middle of eye. Lateral line complete, 5 – 7 pores before pectoral fin base; 7 – 10 pores before dorsal-fin origin, 43

Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands

discussion

Remarks Karmovskaya (2004) found several morphometric and meristic differences between the southwestern Pacific material and topotypic specimens from the Maldives. The present Dongsha Islands material also has some morphometric and meristic differences from the original description of Congriscus maldivensis, such as head length slightly shorter (15.1 – 17.4 vs. 17.8 – 18.1 % TL), trunk length slightly longer (24.3 – 27.0 vs. 21.7 – 25.0 % TL), preanal length slightly longer (41.5 – 43.4 vs. 39.8 – 42.8 % TL), predorsal length slightly longer (17.5 – 20.2 vs. 16.4 – 17.4 % TL), interorbital width slightly shorter (7.3 – 12.5 vs. 14.8 – 18.7 % HL), snout length slightly longer (22.9 – 28.0 vs. 19.4 – 22.2 % HL), greater numbers of precaudal vertebrae (49 – 52 vs. 47 – 48), and preanal pores (43 – 46 vs. 40 – 42). It still needs to be verified whether the differences between the materials from the Pacific and Indian Oceans represent geographical variations of the same species.

Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands

distribution

Distribution. Known previously only from the Maldives, Madagascar, Philippines, northwestern Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis, and Futuna and now recorded in Dongsha Island, South China Sea, at depths of 354 – 700 m.

Three new records of the conger eels (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands