Author: (Günther, 1870)
Paraconger macrops (Günther, 1870)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Paraconger macrops (Günther, 1870) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: body elongate, cylindrical anterior to anus, progressively compressed posteriorly, the anus anterior to midpoint of body. Interorbital space broad and flat. Anterior nostril opening in a short tube on tip of snout; posterior nostril an oval pore, slightly fringed, midway between eye and anterior nostril. Mouth moderately large, rictus slightly anterior to level of posterior margin of eye, labial flanges very well developed. In both jaws an outer row of incisiform teeth forming a cutting edge, with an inner row of conical teeth, also present on vomer and premaxillae, the last ones visible when mouth is closed. Gill openings lateral, nearly straight, their upper limit to upper edge of pectoral fin base. Dorsal and anal fins confluent with caudal fin, their finrays unsegmented, dorsal fin origin at midway between gill opening and tip of pectoral fin. Lateral line 50-53 preanal pores, 8 prepectoral, 1or 2 supra-temporal pores. Vertebrae: total 145-147; abdominal 65-67. Colour: Iight brown, lighter ventrally; tip of snout and lower jaw greyish; a large dark patch on first eight dorsal rays; outer half of dorsal and anal fins dusky brown, basal half and distal edge whitish. Size: to 50 cm.
Habitat: benthic on the shelf on sandy areas of rocky sublittoral zone at 30-100 m; burrow in the sediment during the day and swim actively during the night in search of prey. Food: (few data) fish. Reproduction: leptocephalus unknown.
Distribution: Madeira and the Azores.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.