Neoconger vermiformis Gilbert, 1890

(Figure 10B; Tables 2, 3, 6)

Neoconger vermiformis Gilbert, 1890: 57; Eastern Pacific, Gulf of California, lectotype USNM 44292. Smith & Castle 1972: 200 (redescription, lectotype designation).

Study material (108 specimens, 39–230 mm). LECTOTYPE: USNM 44292 (female, 146 mm TL), Mexico, Gulf of California, 30° 31’N, 114° 25’W, 30 fm (54.9 m), 27 Mar 1889. PARALECTOTYPES: CAS-SU 22 (3, not examined), same data as lectotype. USNM 125072 (8, 61–125 mm TL), same data as lectotype. OTHER MATERIAL: ANSP 119126 (1, 118) Pacific, Colombia, Boca Baudo at Pizzaro, two small bays in mangroves opposite lumber yard, depth (0–1 foot) (0–0.3 m), 7 Nov 1970, L. Knapp. CAS-SU 67347 (2, not seen; formerly SU 46978), Zaca Expedition, eastern Pacific, no further data. CAS 38795 (1, not seen), Mexico, Guerrero, 16° 38’ 30” N. 99° 40’W, 51 m, 29 Nov 1937, mud bottom, Zaca 189 D-4. CAS-SU 11 (1, not seen) Gulf of Panama, 08° 06’ 30” N, 78° 51’ 00: W, 33 fm (59 m), 5 Mar 1888, gray sand and broken shells, Albatross 2797. CAS 30835 (1, not seen), Gulf of Panama, 8° 54’ 36” N, 79° 31’ 48” W, Naos Is., on beach, found dead on beach in fish kill, 20 Apr 1973, L. G. Abele, J. B. Graham. CAS 213466 (1, not seen), Gulf of Panama, 07° 36’ 28” N, 81 08’ 46” W, 8–9 m, 26 Apr 2000, RV Urraca, trawl. CAS 218088 (4, not seen), Panama, Gulf of Chiriqui, Isla de Colba, 2 May 2003, D. R. Robertson. FLMNH 226880 (6, 176–230), Gulf of Panama, 08° 40.5’ N, 79° 30.7’ W, 12–15 fm (22–27 m), 1 May 1967, Pillsbury 483. FLMNH 226881 (1, 177), 08° 33.2’ N, 79° 35.4’ W, 14–17 fm (26–31 m), 1 May 1967, Pillsbury 484. FLMNH 226882 (1, 209), 08° 26.2’ N, 7943.2’ W, 6–8 fm (11–15 m), 1 May 1967, Pillsbury 485. FLMNH 226883 (4, 179–206), 08° 20’ N, 79° 49.7’ W, 11 fm (20 m), 1 May 1967, Pillsbury 486. FLMNH 226884 (5, 160–199), 08° 18.1’ N, 80° 00.5’ W, 10 fm (18 m), 1 May 1967, Pillsbury 487. FLMNH 226885 (1, 172), 08° 13.1’ N, 80° 09.6’ W, 9 fm (16 m), 1–2 May 1967 Pillsbury 488. FLMNH 226886 (1, 186), 08° 06.3 N, 80° 18.2’ W, 10–12 fm (18–22 m), 2 May 1967, Pillsbury 490. FLMNH 226887 (2, 190–212), 08° 45.2’ N, 79° 10.3’ W, 18–20 fm (33–37 m), 6 May 1967, Pillsbury 533. FLMNH 226888 (1, 216), 08° 38.6’ N, 78° 51.9’ W, 17 fm (31 m), 6 May 1967, Pillsbury 535. FLMNH 226889 (1, 225), 08° 35.6’ N, 78° 40.7’ W, 10 fm (18 m), 6 May 1967, Pillsbury 536. FLMNH 226932 (1, 60), 07° 50.7’ N, 80° 09.8’ W. 9–10 fm (16–18 m), 2 May 1967, Pillsbury 492. USNM 46592 (1, 229), 8° 44’ N, 79° 09’W, 29.5 fm (54 m), 6 Mar 1888, Albatross 2799. USNM 128412 (1, 43.5), Panama Canal Zone, Farfan Beach, 26 Feb 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128413 (5, 39–45), Panama, Pearl Is., 14–17 Mar 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128414 (7, 41–44), Panama City, San Francisco Beach, 26 Feb 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128415 (2, 39–71), Panama, Venado Beach, 26 Feb 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128416 (18, no data), Panama Canal Zone, Miraflores Locks, east side upper chamber, 28 Apr 1937, A. O. Foster. USNM 128417 (7, 43–134), Panama Canal Zone, Miraflores Locks, east side upper chamber, 24 Mar 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128418 (3, 113–133), Panama Canal Zone, Miraflores Locks, east side upper chamber, 28 Apr 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 128424 (6, 40.5–149), Panama Canal Zone, Miraflores Locks, west side lower chamber, 2 Mar 1937, S. F. Hildebrand. USNM 204929 (4, 69–144), Panama, Panama Canal dredge effluent, Fort Amador, Pacific coast, 16 Mar 1967, H. Wright, I. Rubinoff, R. Rubinoff. USNM 204930 (4, 71–137), Panama, Panama Canal dredge effluent, Fort Amador, Pacific coast, 17 Mar 1967, H. Wright, I. Rubinoff, R. Rubinoff. USNM 379273 (1, cleared and stained), Panama, Veraguas Province, Gulf of Chiriqui, Coiba Island, 2–21 May 2003, D. R. Robertson. USNM 444957 (2, cleared and stained), removed from USNM 128416.

Diagnosis. Neoconger vermiformis differs from N. mucronatus in the number of predorsal vertebrae (34–38 vs 38–44). It differs from N. torrei in the number of predorsal vertebrae (34–38 vs 42–45), preanal vertebrae (41–44 vs 48–49), and total vertebrae (93–100 vs 104–107). It differs from N. anaelisae in the number of predorsal vertebrae (34–38 vs 32–34). It differs from N. hygomi in the number of predorsal vertebrae (34–38 vs 48), preanal vertebrae (41–44 vs 55), and total vertebrae (93–102 vs 107). Larvae with a sharp intestinal loop; posterior lateral melanophore and anterior ventral melanophore present (see below).

Description. See genus account for general appearance. Morphometric characters in % TL: preanal 47.4–52.9, predorsal 38.1–46.6, head 10.6–14.8, depth at anus 3.4–5.8. In % HL: snout 17.4–22.2, eye 3.7–7.9, snout-rictus 24.8–32.2, gill opening 6.7–19.5, interbranchial 8.8–16.9, pectoral fin 5.1–30.2. Meristic characters: lateral-line pores 32–50, predorsal vertebrae 34–38, preanal vertebrae 41–44, total vertebrae 93–102. Mandibular pores as in N. mucronatus.

Color in preservative gray to brown.

The specimens range in size from 39 to 230 mm TL.

Distribution. Neoconger vermiformis occurs along the western coast of North and Central America from the northern Gulf of California to Panama and northern Colombia. The type series of nine specimens was collected in the northern Gulf of California, and one specimen was collected off the state of Guerrero in southern Mexico. All the others (85 specimens) were collected in the Gulf of Panama and adjacent northern Colombia, including the Pacific end of the Panama Canal.

Remarks. The number of known adult specimens of this species greatly exceeds that of all the other species. One reason for this disparity may be the greater extent of favorable habitat in the Gulf of Panama and the area around the entrance to the canal. Another reason may be the amount of collecting work done in that area. Samuel F. Hildebrand made numerous collections there in 1937, and the RV Pillsbury cruise to the Gulf of Panama in 1967 sampled the offshore area extensively. Suitable habitat in other areas may be more limited and sampled more sporadically.

The number of total vertebrae in specimens from Mexico and Panama overlap completely, but there is some discrepancy (Table 6). The specimens from Mexico have 95–98 (n=9, mean 95.8), whereas those from Panama have 93–102 (n=26, mean 98.7). No genetic information is available for this species, and without such evidence the significance of these differences cannot be determined.

Smith & Castle (1972: 238) reported 106 specimens of larval Neoconger vermiformis collected in the Gulf of Panama. The number of total myomeres (95–102) matches the number of vertebrae in adults (93–102). The number of preanal myomeres is given as 45 and predorsal myomeres as 33–44. The intestinal loop is sharp, and both the anterior ventral melanophore and posterior lateral melanophore are present.