Conger jordani Kanazawa, 1958

Conger jordani Kanazawa, 1958

Figs. 3B View FIGURE 3 , 4 View FIGURE 4 ; Table 1

Conger jordani Kanazawa, 1958:250 , fig. 4; pl. 1, fig. G (Type locality: Misaki, Japan, Albatross. Holotype: USNM 71844). Ho et al., 2015:146.

Conger japonicus View in CoL (not of Bleeker, 1879):? Chen & Weng, 1967:49;? Chen, 1969: 132;? Shen, 1984:112;? Shen, 1988:15;? Shen et al., 1993:116;? Chen, 2004:32;? Ho et al., 2010:table 1.

Conger wilsoni View in CoL (not of Bloch & Schneider, 1801):? Chen & Yu, 1986:252.

Conger conger View in CoL (not of Linnaeus, 1758):? Lee & Yang, 1966:56, fig. 5.

Specimens examined. 32 specimens, 80‒636 mm TL. Taiwan : * ASIZP 62593 View Materials (1, 401), Da-xi , Yilan, NE Taiwan, 11 Jul. 2003 . * NMMB-P2540 (2, 389‒438), Wan-li-tong, Pingtung, 15 Dec. 1978 . * NMMB-P24766 (1, 428), Ketzu-liao , Kaohsiung, 15 Oct. 2016 . * USNM 311373 View Materials (3, 80‒382), Rocky point on northwest shore of first large cove on west side of island north of southern tip of island, 2 May 1968 . * USNM 311374 View Materials (3, 92.5‒135), Chuan-fan-shih, Pintung , SW Taiwan, 23 Apr. 1968 . * USNM 311375 View Materials (1, 130), Ken-ting. Pingtun , SW Taiwan, 22 Apr. 1968 . * USNM 398804 View Materials (1, 350), Taiwan , 19 Oct. 2006 . * USNM 398805 View Materials (1, 357), Taiwan , 19 Oct. 2006 . * USNM 398806 View Materials (1, 418), Taiwan , 12 Feb 2007 . * USNM 398807 View Materials (3, 80‒458), Taiwan . Japan: USNM 26250 View Materials (1, 596, paratype), Japan . USNM 49866 View Materials (1, 382, paratype), Misaki . USNM 71715 View Materials (1, 491, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71716 View Materials (1, 452, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71819 View Materials (1, 636, paratype), Okinawa . USNM 71843 View Materials (1, 480, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71844 View Materials (1, 605, holotype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71845 View Materials (1, 579, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71915 View Materials (1, 533), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 71963 View Materials (1, 565, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 72003 View Materials (1, 633, paratype), Misaki , 1906 . USNM 163467 View Materials (1, 506, paratype), Kagoshima, 19 Aug 1906 . USNM 179791 View Materials (1, 167), Gogashima near Misaki , 27 Apr 1929 . South Africa (tentative identification): USNM 171997 View Materials (1, 406), Port Alfred . USNM 171998 View Materials (1, 630), Great Fish Point.

Diagnosis. DFO behind pectoral fin. Maxillary teeth mainly in one row, except for 1‒4 extra teeth on inner row ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Vertebrae 140‒146.

Description. See Table 1 for morphometric data. Lateral-line pores: prepectoral 4‒6; predorsal 13‒15; preanal 35‒38; total 135‒138. Head pores: SO 4, IO 5 (4 on upper jaw + 1 behind rictus), POM 9 (6 on lower jaw, 3 behind rictus), ST 1. Vertebrae: predorsal 14‒16; preanal 37‒39; total 140‒146; MVF 15-39-143.

DFO well behind pectoral fin. Angle of jaw before posterior margin of eye, 6th IO pore at level of and more than one pore diameter behind rictus. Usually none to as many as 4 small teeth present in inner row of teeth on each jaw ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ).

When preserved, most dorsal and lateral surfaces uniformly black, ventral surface slightly paler; pectoral fin blackish; throat and upper lip pale; median fins white with black base and margins, posterior portion entirely black.

Maximum size 636 mm TL, expected to be larger than this.

Distribution. Known from Japan and Taiwan, and possibly South Africa.

Remarks. In Taiwan, both this species and Conger macrocephalus (see below) have been confused under the name Conger japonicus (see Smith, et al., 2016 for a clarification of the latter name). Conger jordani is distinguished by its posterior DFO and the presence of a single row of maxillary teeth, except for 1‒4 small teeth on the inner row that may be present anteriorly in some specimens. Kanazawa (1958) tentatively recorded this species from South Africa on the basis of two specimens, but noted that the DFO was more anterior than in the Japanese specimens. Although he did not give catalog numbers for the South African specimens, they are apparently USNM 171997 and 171998. Further studies with additional material are needed to assess the taxonomic status of the South Africa population.