• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.132-159
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• 1994

The taxonomic revision of the family Congridae was made based on the specimens collected from the south-western coasts of the Korea from June 1988 to Oct. 1993. The family Congridae was classified into 8 species belonging to 6 genera. based on the external and internal morphological characters : Anago anago, Ariosoma anagodies, Ariosoma shiroanago shiroanago, Conger myriaster, Conger japonicus, Gnathophis nystromi nystromi, Rhechias retrotincta and Uroconger lepturus. Among the species reported as the congrid eels from Korea until now, four species were transferred into different generic or specific name Conger flavirostris into Ariosoma anagoides ; Astroconger myriaster into Conger myriaster ; Congrina retrotincta into Rhechias retrotincta and Rhynchocymba nystromi into Gnathophis nystromi nystromi. A Korean congrid eel, Ariosoma shiroanago shiroanago, was reported for first time in Korea. Intergeneric characters of the family Congridae were the form of the lateralline scales, the state of the tip of tail, the segmented state of the dorsal and anal fin rays, the existance of the supraoccipital bone and of lateral ethmoid process of the skull, the origin of dorsal fin and the forms of upper labial flange. The interspecific classification was made according to the characters such as the numbers of sensory pores of head part and in front of vent, teeth rows and numbers of upper and lower jaw, the numbers of vertebrae, the body color, the shapes of the head part, the color of intestine, the size of eye, the structure of air bladder and the number of branchiostegal rays. A new key on the taxonomical characteristics to the genera and species of the family Congridae has been estabilished and their distribution in Korea is described.