GYMNOTHORAX POLYURANODON - (BLEEKER, 1854)
Picture courtesy of: Amaury Durbano
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Elopomorpha (Superorder) > Anguilliformes (Order) > Muraenoidei (Suborder) > Muraenidae (Family) > Muraeninae (Subfamily) > Gymnothorax (Genus)
Murène d'eau douce, Freshwater moray, Manytoothed moray, 豹紋裸胸鱔,
Synonymes
Lycodontis polyuranodon (Bleeker, 1854)
Muraena polyuranodon (Bleeker, 1854)
Polyuranodon kuhli (Kaup, 1856)
Polyuranodon kuhlii (Kaup, 1856)
Uropterygius fijiensis (Fowler & Bean, 1923)
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Description
Predorsal vertebrae: 9-16 (usually: 12), preanal vertebrae: 67-75 (usually: 70), total vertebrae: 141-148 (usually: 144). Body elongate, firm, muscular and compressed; Head snake-like, depressed, with short snout. Dorsal fin begins over or slightly behind gill opening, concealed by thick skin and sometimes difficult to see; Preanal length: 1.8-2.5 in TL, head long: 9-11 in TL, and Body depth at gill opening: 18-28 in TL. Eye diameter 10-12 in HL, and upper jaw: ~3.5 in HL. Teeth conical, sharp and pointed, directed backwards; Intermaxillary teeth in 5 rows, with 3-4 median teeth, of which 1-2 are compressed, recurved and depressible; Maxillary teeth in 2-3 rows; Dentary teeth in 3 rows anteriorly, 1 row posteriorly; Vomerine teeth in 1 row of 5-10 teeth. Dorsal profile of head above and behind eye raised by strong head muscles; Eyes well developed; Jaws equal; Anterior nostril tubular, near tip of snout; Posterior nostril high on head near eye; Mouth large, gape extends beyond posterior margin of eye; Lips without fleshy flange; Gill opening a small round slit at midside; Lateral line pores absent on body except for 1-2 above and before gill opening. Scales absent, covered in skin. Dorsal, anal and caudal fin confluent; pectoral and pelvic fins absent. Max. length: 150.0 cm TL, commonly: 93.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Color
Juveniles more or less uniform grey.
Adults body with numerous close-set irregular black blotches and pale interspaces, forming irregular reticulum with scribbled appearance.
Etymology
Gymnothorax: from Greek, gymnos = naked + from Greek, thorax, -akos = breast. The genus was created in 1795 by Bloch who indicated: "The fishes of this genus are recognized by the fact that they have no pectoral fins". This characteristic is one of the main marks of the genus, allowing to distinguish it from the eels in which Linnaeus classified the moray eels. The name of the genus thus refers explicitly to the absence of pectoral fins = chest without fins.
polyuranodon: from Latin, poly = many + from greek urano-, ouraniskos = little sky-vault, the palate + from Greek, odous or odon = teeth. Referring to 5–6 sharp teeth on vomer.
Original description: Muraena polyuranodon Bleeker, 1854 - Type locality: Ceram, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Seychelles and Sri Lanka, east to Palau and Fiji, north to Philippines and Taiwan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Occurs in lentic and lotic freshwater and found in estuarine and marine habitats. Usually found within 20-30 km of the sea at a maximum elevation of about 30-40 m. Reports of ciguatera poisoning. Nocturnal predators, feeding on fishes and a variety of invertebrates including crabs, shrimps and octopuses.
Last update: 29, September 2024
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Elopomorpha (Superorder) > Anguilliformes (Order) > Muraenoidei (Suborder) > Muraenidae (Family) > Muraeninae (Subfamily) > Gymnothorax (Genus)
Murène d'eau douce, Freshwater moray, Manytoothed moray, 豹紋裸胸鱔,
Synonymes
Lycodontis polyuranodon (Bleeker, 1854)
Muraena polyuranodon (Bleeker, 1854)
Polyuranodon kuhli (Kaup, 1856)
Polyuranodon kuhlii (Kaup, 1856)
Uropterygius fijiensis (Fowler & Bean, 1923)
-------------------------
Description
Predorsal vertebrae: 9-16 (usually: 12), preanal vertebrae: 67-75 (usually: 70), total vertebrae: 141-148 (usually: 144). Body elongate, firm, muscular and compressed; Head snake-like, depressed, with short snout. Dorsal fin begins over or slightly behind gill opening, concealed by thick skin and sometimes difficult to see; Preanal length: 1.8-2.5 in TL, head long: 9-11 in TL, and Body depth at gill opening: 18-28 in TL. Eye diameter 10-12 in HL, and upper jaw: ~3.5 in HL. Teeth conical, sharp and pointed, directed backwards; Intermaxillary teeth in 5 rows, with 3-4 median teeth, of which 1-2 are compressed, recurved and depressible; Maxillary teeth in 2-3 rows; Dentary teeth in 3 rows anteriorly, 1 row posteriorly; Vomerine teeth in 1 row of 5-10 teeth. Dorsal profile of head above and behind eye raised by strong head muscles; Eyes well developed; Jaws equal; Anterior nostril tubular, near tip of snout; Posterior nostril high on head near eye; Mouth large, gape extends beyond posterior margin of eye; Lips without fleshy flange; Gill opening a small round slit at midside; Lateral line pores absent on body except for 1-2 above and before gill opening. Scales absent, covered in skin. Dorsal, anal and caudal fin confluent; pectoral and pelvic fins absent. Max. length: 150.0 cm TL, commonly: 93.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Color
Juveniles more or less uniform grey.
Adults body with numerous close-set irregular black blotches and pale interspaces, forming irregular reticulum with scribbled appearance.
Etymology
Gymnothorax: from Greek, gymnos = naked + from Greek, thorax, -akos = breast. The genus was created in 1795 by Bloch who indicated: "The fishes of this genus are recognized by the fact that they have no pectoral fins". This characteristic is one of the main marks of the genus, allowing to distinguish it from the eels in which Linnaeus classified the moray eels. The name of the genus thus refers explicitly to the absence of pectoral fins = chest without fins.
polyuranodon: from Latin, poly = many + from greek urano-, ouraniskos = little sky-vault, the palate + from Greek, odous or odon = teeth. Referring to 5–6 sharp teeth on vomer.
Original description: Muraena polyuranodon Bleeker, 1854 - Type locality: Ceram, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Seychelles and Sri Lanka, east to Palau and Fiji, north to Philippines and Taiwan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Occurs in lentic and lotic freshwater and found in estuarine and marine habitats. Usually found within 20-30 km of the sea at a maximum elevation of about 30-40 m. Reports of ciguatera poisoning. Nocturnal predators, feeding on fishes and a variety of invertebrates including crabs, shrimps and octopuses.
Last update: 29, September 2024