Scuticaria tigrina

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Scuticaria tigrina
Scuticaria tigrina.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Genus: Scuticaria
Species:
S. tigrina
Binomial name
Scuticaria tigrina
(Lesson, 1828) [2]

Scuticaria tigrina is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. [3] It is commonly known as the tiger reef-eel, tiger snake moray, tiger moray eel, tiger moray, tiger eel, spotted eel, or the spotted snake moray. [3] It has distinctive black spots and stripes resembling tiger marks and is known to camouflage within the reef environment.

Contents

Description

Scuticaria tigrina can reach a total length of about 140 cm (55 in). [4] Its body is elongated and cylindrical, with a very short tail and longitudinal fins almost exclusively on the tail. [4] It has two rows of sharp conical teeth, which allow it to catch its prey efficiently. [4] The body color is yellowish brown to reddish brown with round black spots bordered by yellow. [4]

Distribution and habitat

Scuticaria tigrina can be found across the tropical Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to the Society Islands, including Hawaii, the Philippines, and Indonesia, [5] [6] as well as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. [5] This species is usually found on shallow reefs and prefers crevices, sandy or rocky areas where it can hide during the day. [5]

Human use

Although sometimes encountered by divers and kept in aquariums, Scuticaria tigrina is not a major commercial fishery species. [5] In some areas, it is used for food, but it is mainly of ecological importance. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moray eel</span> Family of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted moray</span> Species of moringa

The spotted moray is a medium to large moray eel. Other common names include conger, spotted eel, red moray, speckled moray, white cong, white jawed moray, white-chinned moray and white-jawed moray eel. Spotted eels have a long snake-like body, white or pale yellow in general with small overlapping reddish brown to dark-brown spots. They are commonly 60 cm (24 in) in length and can grow up to 2 m (6.6 ft), weighing 2.51 kg (5.5 lb). They inhabit the Western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. They are also found around the Mid- and Eastern Atlantic islands as far south as St Helena. They are typically found anywhere from the surface to a depth of 200 m (660 ft).

<i>Uropterygius</i> Genus of fishes

Uropterygius is a genus of moray eels in the family Muraenidae.

Scuticaria is a genus of moray eel in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-edged moray</span> Species of fish

The yellow-edged moray, also known as yellow-margin(ed) moray, leopard moray, and speckled moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific Oceans at depths to 150 m (500 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowflake moray</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undulated moray</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fimbriated moray</span> Species of fish

The fimbriated moray, also known as dark-spotted moray or spot-face moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae.

<i>Gymnothorax miliaris</i> Species of fish

Gymnothorax miliaris, the goldentail moray, bastard eel, or conger moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<i>Myrichthys maculosus</i> Species of fish

Myrichthys maculosus, commonly known as the tiger snake eel, the ocellate snake eel or the spotted snake eel, is a species of fish in the family Ophichthidae, native to the Indo-Pacific. It is occasionally encountered in the aquarium trade. It grows to a length of 1 m (40 in).

Scuticaria okinawae is a moray eel found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the shorttailed snake moray, shorttail moray, Seale's moray eel, or the Bennett's moray.

Channomuraena vittata is a rare species of moray eel from the Anguiliformes order found in reefs. It is commonly known as the broadbanded moray, banded moray, Chinese moray, double-ended moray, or the long-jawed moray.

Uropterygius concolor is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Rüppell in 1838, and is commonly known as the unicolor snake moray, uniform reef-eel, brown reef-eel, brown moray eel, or the brown moray. It is mostly dull brown in colour, with the tip of the tail being yellow.

Uropterygius fuscoguttatus is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the brown spotted snake moray, brown snake moray, or the finless moray. It is mostly dark brown in colour, with darker brown spots approaching the tail.

Uropterygius xenodontus is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the black snake moray, strange-toothed snake moray, or the wedge-tooth snake moray.

Uropterygius polyspilus is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the large-spotted snake moray.

Uropterygius inornatus is a moray eel found in the western Indian Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. It is commonly known as the drab snake moray or black snake moray. It is faded tan in colour. First described by W.A. Gosline in 1958, this eel typically resides in tropical marine environments and is reef-associated, often found in shallow lagoons or seaward reefs at depths of 8 to 18 meters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackcheek moray eel</span> Species of fish

The blackcheek moray eel or masked moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slendertail moray eel</span> Species of fish

The slendertail moray eel is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean. It was first named by Jenkins in 1903, and is also commonly known as the graceful-tailed moray. It is known for its elongated body and small white spots.

<i>Gymnothorax rueppelliae</i> Species of fish

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.

References

  1. Smith, D.G.; Tighe, K.; McCosker, J. (2019). "Scuticaria tigrina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T195816A2422080. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T195816A2422080.en . Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  2. Lesson, R. P. (1828). "Description du nouveau genre Ichthyophis et de plusieurs espèces inédites ou peu connues de poissons, recueillis dans le voyage autour du monde de la Corvette La Coquille". Mémoires de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris. 4: 399–400.
  3. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Scuticaria tigrina". FishBase .
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Böhlke, Eugenia B.; McCosker, John E. (1997). "Review of the Moray eel Genus Scuticaria and Included Species (Pisces: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae: Uropterygiinae)". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 148: 171–176. ISSN   0097-3157. JSTOR   4065051.
  5. 1 2 3 4 WoRMS. "Scuticaria tigrina (Lesson, 1828)". World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  6. "Scuticaria tigrina (Lesson, 1828)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 2024-10-21.