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WoRMS taxon details

Muraenidae 
AphiaID: 125431

Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Pisces (Superclass) > Actinopterygii (Class) > Anguilliformes (Order)
Status accepted
Record
status		 Checked by Taxonomic Editor
Rank Family
Parent Anguilliformes
Sources  basis of record: van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]

additional source: Eschmeyer, W.: Catalog of fishes; California Academy of Sciences, department Ichtyology., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]

Vernacular
Names		 
Language   Name 
English moray eels  [details]
Direct child
taxa
[show all]		 Subfamily Muraeninae
  » Genus Diaphenchelys
» Genus Echidna Forster, 1788
» Genus Enchelycore Kaup, 1856
» Genus Enchelynassa Kaup, 1855
» Genus Gymnomuraena Lacepède, 1803
» Genus Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Monopenchelys Bohlke & McCosker, 1982
» Genus Muraena Linnaeus, 1758
» Genus Pseudechidna Bleeker, 1863
» Genus Rhinomuraena Garman, 1889
» Genus Strophidon
» Genus Aemasia accepted as Enchelycore Kaup, 1856
» Genus Ahynnodontophis accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Echida accepted as Echidna Forster, 1788
» Genus Enchelicore accepted as Enchelycore Kaup, 1856
» Genus Evenchelys accepted as Strophidon
» Genus Gymnotorax accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Heteromyrus accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Limamuraena accepted as Muraena Linnaeus, 1758
» Genus Limmamuraena Kaup in Duméril, 1856 accepted as Muraena Linnaeus, 1758
» Genus Muraenophys accepted as Murenophis Cuvier, 1797 accepted as Muraena Linnaeus, 1758
» Genus Murenophis Cuvier, 1797 accepted as Muraena Linnaeus, 1758
» Genus Neomuraena accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Poecilophis accepted as Echidna Forster, 1788
» Genus Priodonophis accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Pseudechilna accepted as Pseudechidna Bleeker, 1863
» Genus Pseudechina accepted as Pseudechidna Bleeker, 1863
» Genus Pseudoechidna accepted as Pseudechidna Bleeker, 1863
» Genus Pseudomuraena accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Rabula accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Rhinomuraea accepted as Rhinomuraena Garman, 1889
» Genus Sidera Kaup in Duméril, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Sideria accepted as Sidera Kaup in Duméril, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Thryrsoidea accepted as Thyrsoidea Kaup, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
» Genus Thrysoidea accepted as Thyrsoidea Kaup, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
Subfamily Uropterygiinae
  » Genus Anarchias Jordan & Starks, 1906
» Genus Channomuraena
» Genus Cirrimaxilla
» Genus Scuticaria
» Genus Uropterygius Rüppell, 1838
» Genus Ichthyophis accepted as Scuticaria
» Genus Uropteryginus accepted as Uropterygius Rüppell, 1838

Genus Lycodontis Jordan & Evermann, 1896 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
Genus Siderea Kaup, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
Genus Thyrsoidea Kaup, 1856 accepted as Gymnothorax Bloch, 1795
Genus Uropterygus accepted as Uropterygius Rüppell, 1838
Environment marine
Links To GenBank
To ITIS
Note  Description: Worldwide in tropical and temperate seas. Diverse group of eels with large mouths with numerous teeth; often with fanglike (canine) teeth. Dorsal fin origin usually before the gill openings; median fins confluent with caudal fin; no pelvic and pectoral fins. Gill openings as small roundish lateral openings. Head with 1-3 lateral line pores; absent on body. Scaleless. Recorded maximum length 3.0 m. Some morays cause ciguatera fish poisoning. A skin toxin was noted in an Indo-Pacific moray eel. Adults benthic, generally in shallow water among rocks and coral heads; many species are more active at night and hide in holes and crevices during the day. Vicious reputation is undeserved, although some species will bite if provoked. Feed mainly on crustaceans and small fishes. Larvae (leptocephali) epipelagic, widespread and abundant. [details]
LSID urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:125431
Taxonomic
Edit history		 
Date   action   by
2004-12-21 15:54:05Z  created  van der Land, Jacob
  
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  Citation: WoRMS (2013). Muraenidae. In: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2013) FishBase. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125431 on 2013-06-19
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