| Indian mud moray eel | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Muraenidae |
| Genus: | Gymnothorax |
| Species: | G. tile |
| Binomial name | |
| Gymnothorax tile (F. Hamilton, 1822) | |
The Indian mud moray eel, (Gymnothorax tile) is a moray eel found in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. [2] It was first named by Hamilton in 1822, [2] and is also commonly known as the freshwater moray or freshwater snowflake eel.
The Indian mud moray is estimated to reach a length of approximately 24 in (0.61 m), and can live up to 30 years. The species is characterized by a gray-brown body covered in speckles that vary in color from golden yellow to white. Gymnothorax tile, like any other moray eel, possesses a second set of jaws, called the pharyngeal jaws, to swallow their prey. The Indian mud moray's eyesight is very poor, and instead of using vision, the species rather relies upon a keen sense of smell and vibrations in the water to detect prey or threats.
The wild habitat type of the Indian mud moray is marine neritic. It is most commonly found hidden in debris resting over a soft substrate of mud or sand. It is often found in estuaries but may also enter the lower portions of rivers. [3] While the Indian mud moray typically lives in marine conditions, it travels to fresh water for breeding and spawning.
When kept as pets, Indian mud morays thrive better in brackish water, rather than pure fresh water. Pure fresh water can cause these eels to reject their food and develop a variety of diseases that greatly shorten their life span. [4] It is advisable to place a lid on the aquarium tank, as they are known to have the ability to jump out of tanks. [5]
Indian mud morays are carnivorous and feed mainly on crustaceans and small fishes. They are, for the most part, a scavenger that may eat dead fish, shrimp, and other such foods. Due to their poor eyesight, Indian mud morays typically do not hunt on a normal basis, but will resort to hunting if there is no other option.
When kept in captivity, these eels can be difficult to feed, due to their tendency to reject food that is not to their liking. Stress can also cause these eels to starve themselves, even to death in some severe cases.
| Name | Discoverer | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gymnothorax borneensis | Bleeker | 1863 |
| Lycodontis literata | McClelland | 1844 |
| Lycodontis tile | Hamilton | 1822 |
| Muraena gracilis | Richardson | 1848 |
| Muraena vermiculata | Richardson | 1848 |
| Muraenophis tile | Hamilton | 1822 |
| Strophidon maculata | McClelland | 1844 |
| Strophidon punctata | McClelland | 1844 |
| Thyrsoidea microdon | Kaup | 1856 |
Gymnothorax tile is known from the Indo-West Pacific from India to the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Hawaii, and the Andaman Islands. It appears to be uncommon throughout its range. There are no major threats known to this species, although it may be impacted by coastal development, runoff and habitat degradation in some portions of its distribution. [3] And, though there are no species-specific conservation methods in place for its protection, this species is listed as "Least Concern."
Gymnothorax comes from the Ancient Greek γυμνός (gymno-), meaning ‘naked’, and θώραξ (thoraks), meaning ‘breastplate, corslet’ and tile: from the Bengali vernacular name for this species. [6]
Gymnothorax tile is known from the Indo-West Pacific from India east to Queensland, Australia, and including the Andaman Islands, Indonesia and the Philippines. It has been reported from Hawaii, but the specimen is unavailable (Mundy 2005), and thus its presence in Hawaii needs to be verified. It is found from 0–10 m depth. [3] [7]
Moray eels, or Muraenidae, are a family of eels whose members are found worldwide. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera which are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and a few are found in fresh water.
Gymnothorax is a genus of fish in the family Muraenidae found in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. With more than 120 species, it the most speciose genus of moray eels.
The Kidako moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. It inhabits coral reefs or lagoons and could be found in tropical and subtropical seas near Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. The species is diurnal, which means it is more active in the daytime than the nighttime. It is also piscivorous: it consumes fish, octopus, and squid. Other than the Kidako moray, there are about 200 species of moray eels in the Muraenidae family. The Kidako moray doesn't attack humans unless they are provoked. However, due to the menacing looks of the Kidako moray and moray eels in general, they are feared by divers and snorkelers.
The California moray is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the eastern Pacific from just north of Santa Barbara to Santa Maria Bay in Baja California. They are the only species of moray eel found off California, and one of the few examples of a subtropical moray. They typically occupy boulder or cobble habitats up to 40 m in depth. They can attain lengths of about 5 ft (1.52 m) and are believed to live for upwards of 22–26 years. Like other morays, they have no pelvic or pectoral fins or gill covers.
The snowflake moray, also known as the clouded moray among many vernacular names, is a species of marine eel of the family Muraenidae. It has blunt teeth ideal for its diet of crustaceans, a trait it shares with the zebra moray.
Abbott's moray eel, also known as the stout moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific, antitropical in distribution. It is found in the eastern Pacific from Costa Rica to Easter Island, at depths of 40 m. Its length is up to 60 cm. Abbott's moray eel is a shallow-water, inshore reef species, though not often seen. They are voracious nocturnal carnivores feeding mostly on reef fishes.
The undulated moray is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific and east-central Pacific Ocean at depths down to 30 m. Their length is up to 1.5 m.
The giant moray is a species of moray eel and a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. In terms of body mass, it is the largest moray eel; however, the slender giant moray is the largest in terms of body length.
Gymnothorax melatremus, the blackspot moray, dirty yellow moray or dwarf moray, is a moray eel from the Indo-Pacific East Africa to the Marquesas and Mangaréva, north to the Hawaiian Islands, south to the Australs islands. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade but still being rare to find.
Gymnothorax pictus, the painted moray, paintspotted moray or peppered moray, is a moray eel. The Chamorro name of the eel is títugi.
The panamic green moray eel is a large moray eel in the Pacific. Common names also include chestnut moray eel.
The y-patterned moray, y-patterned moray eel, or Berndt's moray is a deep-water moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and western Indian Oceans at depths to 300 m. It was described by John Otterbein Snyder in 1904.
The latticetail moray is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Pieter Bleeker in 1857, and is commonly also known as the vagrant moray, Buru moray eel, or Buro moray.
Gymnothorax enigmaticus, the enigmatic moray, tiger moray or banded moray, is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It was first named by McCosker and Randall in 1982,
The brown-spotted moray is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Schultz in 1953 and is also commonly known as the freckled moray.
Gymnothorax mccoskeri is a moray eel found in the western Pacific and the eastern Indian Ocean. It was first named by Smith and Böhlke in 1997, and is commonly known as the McCosker's moray, many-banded moray-eel, or the manyband moray.
The drab moray is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Pieter Bleeker in 1856, and is also commonly known as the brown moray, monochrome moray, monotone moray, or plain moray eel.
Gymnothorax niphostigmus, the snowflake-patched moray, is a moray eel found in the northwest Pacific Ocean around Taiwan. It was first named by Chen, Shao, and Chen in 1996.
Gymnothorax polyuranodon, commonly known as the freshwater moray, is a species of moray eel that is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the northern coastline of Australia, and various islands in the western Pacific. Other common names include the many-toothed moray, spotted freshwater moray, blackspotted moray, freshwater leopard moray, and freshwater tiger moray.
Gymnothorax rueppelliae, the banded moray, banded reef-eel, Rüppell's moray, Rüppell's moray eel, black barred eel, yellow-headed moray eel or yellow-headed moray, is a moray eel found in tropical coral reefs. Gymnothorax rueppelliae is a pale grey to greyish-brown moray with 16-21 dark bars on the body, a bright yellow head and a dark spot at the corner of the mouth. They differ from the Gymnothorax pikei, a close relative that lives Papua New Guinea. They have fewer vomerine teeth. They also reach a maximum length of 80 cm.
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