Snowflake moray

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Snowflake moray
Snowflake moray in Kona.jpg
Snowflake moray in kona close up.jpg
Snowflake moray, Echidna nebulosa
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Genus: Echidna
Species:
E. nebulosa
Binomial name
Echidna nebulosa
(J. N. Ahl, 1789)
Synonyms [2]
  • Echidna variegataForster, 1848
  • Gymnothorax boschi( Bleeker, 1853)
  • Gymnothorax boschii(Bleeker, 1853)
  • Lycodontis boschi(Bleeker, 1853)
  • Muraena boschiiBleeker, 1853
  • Muraena nebulosaAhl, 1789
  • Muraena ophisRüppell, 1830
  • Poecilophis nebulosa(Ahl, 1789)

The snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa), also known as the clouded moray among many vernacular names, is a species of marine eel of the family Muraenidae. [3] It has blunt teeth ideal for its diet of crustaceans, a trait it shares with the zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra). [4]

Contents

Its Hawaiian name is puhi-kapa, [5] [6] which originates from King Kamehameha I’s nickname. [5] The genus name is derived from the Greek word echidna meaning "viper", and the species name, nebulosa, originates from the Latin word nebulosus meaning "misty" or "cloudy". [5]

It is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific area from the eastern coast of Africa throughout Micronesia including the Red Sea and to Hawaii. [7] [8] The species is also found in the eastern Central Pacific from southern Baja California, Mexico, and from Costa Rica to northern Colombia. [9]

This species reaches a length of 100 centimetres (39 in) but its common size is 50 centimetres (20 in). They live at depths ranging from 1 and 48 meters. [7]

Description and biology

The snowflake moray has a blunt white snout that goes into a yellowish, brown, and black striped speckled pattern. [10] [4] [6] [5] [7] They have a dorsal fin that runs the length of its body. Protruding out of their snout, they have two yellow tubular nostrils angled down [11] and another pair closer to their eyes. Moray eels' eyesight is poor, and their heightened sense of smell compensates for this. [10] [11] They have small blunt teeth rather than sharp teeth. [10] [5] [6] [4] [7] Their diet consists mainly of crustaceans. [5] [7] [6] The snowflake moray, along with other species of morays, have pharyngeal jaws, [10] which are a second set of jaws located in the throat or pharynx. [10] This species is an unconfirmed protogynous hermaphrodite, [7] meaning that they are able to change sex during their lifetime. [11] [7] Snowflake morays are also scale-less, secreting a mucus over their skin that allows for easy maneuverability in and around holes in their environment. [11] [10]

This species reaches a length of 100 centimeters (39 in) but is commonly found at a length of 50 centimeters (20 in). [7]

Distribution

This species is distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific area from the eastern coast of Africa throughout Micronesia including the Red Sea and to Hawaii. [7] [8] [11] It is also found in the eastern Central Pacific from southern Baja California, Mexico, and from Costa Rica to northern Colombia. [11]

Habitat

The snowflake moray is often found residing in seagrass beds with rock rubble, rocky shallows, [4] intertidal reef flats, and tide pools. [10] They live at depths ranging from 1 and 48 meters. [7]

In the aquarium

The snowflake moray is a very commonly kept saltwater eel. They are very hardy and well-suited to life within an aquarium. Up to 36" in length in captivity, the snowflake moray requires an aquarium that is larger than 20 gallons (40–50 gallons when full grown) with a tight-fitting lid, as these eels (and all other eels) are good at escaping and can fit through surprisingly small holes in aquarium lids. The snowflake eel has been known to live to 15 years and older in captivity. They are carnivores, readily accepting just about any meaty foods, including krill, shrimp, silversides and octopus meat. Unless already acclimated to frozen foods, the moray eel will likely need to be fed with live ghost shrimp when first acquired. Weaning can be accomplished over time. The feeding of freshwater feeder fish (goldfish, rosy reds, etc.) will likely cause liver disease if fed to the eel, so such feeding should be avoided. [12]

It is not safe for shrimp, crabs or lobsters to be kept with the snowflake moray, as crustaceans are their natural diet. Most other invertebrates, including starfish, anemones and sea urchins, can safely be kept with them. Snowflake morays are reef safe and will not bother corals, though these eels are messy eaters and will require strong filtration and a relatively large protein skimmer for the long-term health of any corals housed in their aquarium. The moray eel will likely consume very small fish such as damselfish. Compatible tankmates for the snowflake moray eel include other relatively large, aggressive fish, such as lionfish, tangs, triggerfish, wrasses, and possibly even other snowflake moray eels if they are both introduced to the tank at the same time. [12] Snowflake moray eels can inflict a severe bite.

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.

<i>Echidna</i> (fish) Genus of fishes

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

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

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 would not 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.

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

The zebra moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. It is the only member of the genus Gymnomuraena, though it sometimes has been included in Echidna instead.

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

The leopard moray eel, tiger moray eel or dragon moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

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

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.

<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">Barred moray</span> Species of fish

The barred moray, also known as the banded moray, the dark-banded eel, the girdled moray, the girdled reef eel, the many banded moray eel, the ringed moray, the ringed reef moray, the striped moray and the zebra eel,) is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae. It was described by John Richardson in 1845, originally under the genus Muraena. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesan Islands, the Tuamotus Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. It dwells at a depth range of 2 to 20 metres, and leads a benthic lifestyle in reefs and shallow lagoons. Males can reach a maximum total length of 72.3 centimetres (28.5 in).

<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.

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

The fangtooth moray sometimes also known as tiger moray or bird-eye conger is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae found in warmer parts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Canary Islands, Madeira and various other islands. It entered the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic and is now found occasionally in the eastern Basin, from Levantine waters and off Turkey, Greece, Croatia and Sicily.

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

Echidna catenata, commonly known as the chain moray, is a moray eel found in shallow parts of the western Atlantic Ocean and from islands elsewhere in the Atlantic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a maximum length of 165 cm (65 in) but a more common length is about 40 cm (16 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.

Echidna leucotaenia, the whiteface moray, also known as the white-banded moray eel, is a moray eel. It was described by Schultz in 1943. It is a tropical, marine and freshwater eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Line Islands, the Tuamotu Islands, and Johnston Island. It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 24 metres, and leads a benthic lifestyle in reefs. Males can reach a maximum total length of 75 centimetres (30 in).

<i>Echidna nocturna</i> Species of fish

Echidna nocturna is a moray eel found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, in the Gulf of California and around Peru and the Galapagos Islands. It was first named by Cope in 1872, and is commonly known as the freckled moray or the palenose moray. It was discovered that Echidna nocturna and Muraena acutis are the same species.

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

The whitemargin moray or the white-edged moray, Gymnothorax albimarginatus, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<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.

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

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.

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

The Indian mud moray eel, is a moray eel found in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Hamilton in 1822, and is also commonly known as the freshwater moray or freshwater snowflake eel.

References

  1. ↑ Smith, D.G.; McCosker, J.; Tighe, K. (2019). "Echidna nebulosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T195683A2401897. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T195683A2401897.en .
  2. ↑ Nicolas Bailly (2013). Bailly N (ed.). "Echidna nebulosa (Ahl, 1789)". FishBase . World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Common Names List - Echidna nebulosa".
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Snowflake and Zebra Moray". Waikīkī Aquarium. 2013-11-22. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hoover, John P. (2003). Hawaii's Fishes: A Guide for Snorkelers Divers and Aquarists. 1127 11th Avenue, Mezz. B Honolulu, Hawaii 96816: Mutual Publishing. pp. 50–51. ISBN   1-56647-001-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  6. 1 2 3 4 Randall, John E. (2010). Shore Fishes of Hawai'i (Revised ed.). University of Hawai'i Press. p. 19. ISBN   978-0-8248-3427-2.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Echidna nebulosa, Starry moray : Fisheries, aquarium".
  8. 1 2 Böhlke, Eugenia B.; Randall, John E. (2000). "A Review of the Moray eels (Angulliformes: Muraenidae) of the Hawaiian Islands, with Descriptions of Two New Species". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 150: 203–278. ISSN   0097-3157. JSTOR   4065071.
  9. ↑ McCosker, J.E. and R.H. Rosenblatt, 1995. Muraenidae. Morenas. p. 1303-1315. In Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sutton, Alan (2018-05-31). "Snowflake Moray Eel-Facts and Photographs". Seaunseen. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mazza, Giuseppe (2008-08-09). "Echidna nebulosa". Monaco Nature Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  12. 1 2 "Snowflake Moray Eel".
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