GYMNOTHORAX PORPHYREUS - (GUICHENOT, 1848)
Picture courtesy of: Pauline Fey
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Elopomorpha (Superorder) > Anguilliformes (Order) > Muraenoidei (Suborder) > Muraenidae (Family) > Muraeninae (Subfamily) > Gymnothorax (Genus)
Lowfin moray, 威氏裸胸鱔,
Synonymes
Gymnothorax chilensis (Günther, 1872)
Gymnothorax griffini (Whitley & Phillips, 1939)
Gymnothorax obscurirostris (Rendahl, 1921)
Gymnothorax porphyrea (Guichenot, 1848)
Gymnothorax wieneri (Sauvage, 1883)
Muraena chilensis (Günther, 1872)
Muraena porphyrea (Guichenot, 1848)
Muraenophys porphyreus (Guichenot, 1848)
Murenophis porphyreus (Guichenot, 1848)
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Description
Predorsal vertebrae: 5-8 (usually: 6), preanal vertebrae: 57-62 (usually: 59), total vertebrae: 137-144 (usually: 140). A large moray, elongate when small, large specimens stout, depth at gill opening: 12-20 in TL and depth at anus: 13-30 in TL; Anus near midbody, preanal length: 1.9- 2.3 in TL. Head moderate to short, its length: 7.3-10.5 in TL; Snout short and broad: 4.6-6.1 in HL; Jaws moderate, upper jaw: 2.0-3.0 in HL. Eye above midgape, slightly closer to rictus: 9.7-19.0 in HL. Anterior nostril in short tube; Posterior nostril above and before eye, raised or in short tube with flared crenulate margin. Head pores typical; Two branchial pores, the second pore just above gill opening; Dorsal fin origin above or before first pore. Gill opening a diagonal slit at midside. Teeth strong, triangular, smooth, partially biserial, moderate in number. Main row of outer premaxillary teeth usually 6, with 3-12 small outer teeth present in both small and large specimens; Usually 3 caniniform teeth on midline. Inner row of 1-6 long slender maxillary teeth anteriorly, outer row of 10-18 shorter stout teeth changing little in size. Vomerine teeth short and sharp, usually in single row of 6-12 teeth. Dentary teeth: 18-27, the first: 4-7 large and increasing in size, then abruptly smaller, changing little in size; Outer row of 2-15 short pointed teeth flanking main row anteriorly, extending back in some specimens. Max. length: 103 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 40 m, usually: 1 - 13 m.
Color
Overall color dark grey or brown with darker mottling, head, body and fins with similar coloration; Nostrils and head pores noticeably dark. Snout dark, mouth angle dark, gill opening dusky or dark, but not in a defined black blotch. Fins of small specimens (<250 mm) with pale margin or pale posteriorly; Those of larger specimens with body coloration.
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.
porphyreus: from the Ancient Greek, porphyra = purple. Referring to reddish dots on body, which resemble dotted porphyry, a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals such as feldspar or quartz.
Original description: Murenophis porphyreus Guichenot, 1848 - Type locality: Juan Fernández Islands.
Distribution
South Pacific: New Caledonia east to Peru, Chile, Easter Island and Juan Fernández Islands.
Similar species
Gymnothorax flavimarginatus (Rüppell, 1830) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Last update: 6, September 2024
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Elopomorpha (Superorder) > Anguilliformes (Order) > Muraenoidei (Suborder) > Muraenidae (Family) > Muraeninae (Subfamily) > Gymnothorax (Genus)
Lowfin moray, 威氏裸胸鱔,
Synonymes
Gymnothorax chilensis (Günther, 1872)
Gymnothorax griffini (Whitley & Phillips, 1939)
Gymnothorax obscurirostris (Rendahl, 1921)
Gymnothorax porphyrea (Guichenot, 1848)
Gymnothorax wieneri (Sauvage, 1883)
Muraena chilensis (Günther, 1872)
Muraena porphyrea (Guichenot, 1848)
Muraenophys porphyreus (Guichenot, 1848)
Murenophis porphyreus (Guichenot, 1848)
------------------------------
Description
Predorsal vertebrae: 5-8 (usually: 6), preanal vertebrae: 57-62 (usually: 59), total vertebrae: 137-144 (usually: 140). A large moray, elongate when small, large specimens stout, depth at gill opening: 12-20 in TL and depth at anus: 13-30 in TL; Anus near midbody, preanal length: 1.9- 2.3 in TL. Head moderate to short, its length: 7.3-10.5 in TL; Snout short and broad: 4.6-6.1 in HL; Jaws moderate, upper jaw: 2.0-3.0 in HL. Eye above midgape, slightly closer to rictus: 9.7-19.0 in HL. Anterior nostril in short tube; Posterior nostril above and before eye, raised or in short tube with flared crenulate margin. Head pores typical; Two branchial pores, the second pore just above gill opening; Dorsal fin origin above or before first pore. Gill opening a diagonal slit at midside. Teeth strong, triangular, smooth, partially biserial, moderate in number. Main row of outer premaxillary teeth usually 6, with 3-12 small outer teeth present in both small and large specimens; Usually 3 caniniform teeth on midline. Inner row of 1-6 long slender maxillary teeth anteriorly, outer row of 10-18 shorter stout teeth changing little in size. Vomerine teeth short and sharp, usually in single row of 6-12 teeth. Dentary teeth: 18-27, the first: 4-7 large and increasing in size, then abruptly smaller, changing little in size; Outer row of 2-15 short pointed teeth flanking main row anteriorly, extending back in some specimens. Max. length: 103 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 40 m, usually: 1 - 13 m.
Color
Overall color dark grey or brown with darker mottling, head, body and fins with similar coloration; Nostrils and head pores noticeably dark. Snout dark, mouth angle dark, gill opening dusky or dark, but not in a defined black blotch. Fins of small specimens (<250 mm) with pale margin or pale posteriorly; Those of larger specimens with body coloration.
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.
porphyreus: from the Ancient Greek, porphyra = purple. Referring to reddish dots on body, which resemble dotted porphyry, a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals such as feldspar or quartz.
Original description: Murenophis porphyreus Guichenot, 1848 - Type locality: Juan Fernández Islands.
Distribution
South Pacific: New Caledonia east to Peru, Chile, Easter Island and Juan Fernández Islands.
Similar species
Gymnothorax flavimarginatus (Rüppell, 1830) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Last update: 6, September 2024