Conger, Bosc, 1817

Smith, David G. & Ho, Hsuan-Ching, 2018, Review of the congrid eel genus Conger (Anguilliformes: Congridae) in Taiwan, Zootaxa 4454 (1), pp. 168-185 : 170

Key to species of Conger in Taiwan

1a Two or 3 pores (rarely 0 or 1) behind eye; black diagonal streak usually present below eye; rictus under or slightly behind posterior margin of eye; 6th IO pore above and slightly behind rictus, by a distance of less than one pore diameter...................................................................................................... C. cinereus

1b No pores behind eye; no black streak below eye; rictus extending to below posterior half of eye; 6th IO pore about level with and well behind rictus, by a distance of several pore diameters.................................................. 2

2a DFO clearly behind tip of pectoral fin; single row of teeth on upper jaw.......................................... 3

2b DFO over or slightly behind pectoral fin; one additional row of teeth on inner side of upper jaw....................... 4

3a Body mostly blackish or dark grayish, vertical fins with white bases and black margins; trunk length 1.4–1.9 times head length; total vertebrae 140–146.......................................................................... C. jordani

3b Body yellowish to grayish, never dark, vertical fins mostly pale to light grayish with clear white margin; trunk length 1.9–2.3 times head length; total vertebrae 131–133....................................................... C. philippinus

4a Head small, 12.3–14.9% TL; trunk length 1.5–2.1 times head length; white dots on dorsal surface............. C. myriaster

4b Head large, 15.4–17.7% TL; trunk length 1.2–1.6 times head length; dorsal surface uniformly light gray, without white dots........................................................................................ C. macrocephalus