Conger Bosc 1817

Genus Conger Bosc, 1817

Conger Bosc, 1817:450 (type species Muraena conger Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent absolute tautonymy)

Definition (after Smith, 1989). Body moderately elongate, anus before midlength. Tail moderately slender, neither blunt-tipped nor attenuate, caudal fin flexible. DFO behind base of pectoral fin, from approximately over midpectoral fin to well behind its tip. Pectoral fin well developed.

Jaws nearly equal, fleshy part of snout extending slightly in front of intermaxillary tooth patch. Well-developed flange on upper and lower lips, that of upper lip wide. Head pores small, those along upper jaw located on side of head instead of on flange. Preoperculo-mandibular canal with 9‒11 pores, usually 9 (except for C. cinereus, which usually has 10), seven or eight in mandibular section and two in preopercular section. Infraorbital canal contains a well-developed adnasal pore, immediately adjacent to third SO pore, the two forming what appears to be a double pore; four pores along upper jaw, one in line with these behind rictus, and 0‒3 in ascending branch behind eye. Supraorbital canal with three pores, all near tip of snout, the third immediately adjacent to adnasal pore. Supratemporal canal with a single median pore in all species except the Atlantic C. triporiceps, which has three pores.

Teeth small, acute. Intermaxillary tooth patch rounded, not distinctly separated from maxillary and vomerine teeth. Vomerine tooth patch short, triangular. Maxillary and dentary teeth in one or two rows, the outer row forming a cutting edge, the inner row (when present) fewer, blunter and more widely spaced.

Digestive tract pale. Stomach rather long, not quite reaching anus posteriorly. Gas bladder reaching anus posteriorly.

Size variable, some species reaching up to 3 m TL, most smaller than 1 m.