Muraena helena, Mediterranean moray, Photo: Michael Lahanas
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Elopocephalai
Supercohors: Elopocephala
Cohors/Superordo: Elopomorpha
Ordo: Anguilliformes
Subordo: Anguilloidei
Familia: Muraenidae
Subfamilia: Muraeninae
Genus: Muraena
Species: Muraena helena
Name
Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758
References
Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiæ: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. i–ii, 1–824 pp DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.542: 244. Open access Reference page.
Muraena helena in the World Register of Marine Species
Vernacular names
aragonés: Morena
brezhoneg: Muren
català: Morena
corsu: Marena
čeština: Muréna obecná
Deutsch: Mittelmeer-Muräne
Ελληνικά: Σμέρνα
English: Mediterranean moray
español: Morena del Mediterráneo
euskara: Itsasuge
suomi: Mureena
français: Murène commune
magyar: Közönséges muréna
italiano: Murena mediterranea
Nederlands: Moeraal
polski: Murena śródziemnomorska
română: Murena
vèneto: Bisato in devisa
中文: 澤生鯙
The Mediterranean moray (Muraena helena), also known as Roman eel, is a species of fish in the moray eel family. It has a long eel-like body and is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Its bite can be dangerous to humans.
Appearance and characteristics
Photo of undulating moray on top of a coral colony
Muraena helena showing typical moray eel morphology: robust anguilliform shape, lack of pectoral fins and circular gill openings
The Mediterranean moray has an elongated, eel-like body and can reach a length of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) and weigh over 15 kilograms. Its coloration varies from dark grey to dark brown with fine dark spots. The skin is slimy and without scales. The dorsal fin begins behind its head and continues to the caudal fin (fused with the anal fin). Pectoral fins are absent, teeth are long and sharp-pointed (like other morays), the mouth is long and robust and reaches behind the gills.
Ecology
Captured morays on fish market in Madeira
The Mediterranean moray inhabits the coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles to the coast of Senegal; the waters of the Canary Islands and the Azores; and the Mediterranean Sea. It prefers rocky bottoms and lives in depths of from 16.5 to 264 feet (5 to 80 meters). It is a solitary and territorial species. The Mediterranean moray spends most of the day in cavities and clefts between rocks and is more active at night. It hunts fish, crayfish and cephalopods, but also feeds on dead animals.
The Mediterranean moray's reproduction is not well known. They spawn about 60,000 eggs into open water, from which planktonic transparent leptocephali hatch.
One parasitic crustacean,[3] the trematode Folliculovarium mediterraneum[4] and the flatworm Lecithochirium grandiporum[5] are parasites of the Mediterranean moray.
Human importance
The bite of the Mediterranean moray can be dangerous mainly due to the mildly toxic slime of its skin. It can be utilized fresh and eaten broiled, boiled and baked. The skin can be used for leather.[6]
References
Smith, D.G. (2015). "Muraena helena". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T194974A2370347. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194974A2370347.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
Synonyms of Muraena helena at www.fishbase.org.
P.Sasal et al., Determinants of parasite species richness in Mediterranean marine fishes, Mar.Ecol.Prog.Ser. Vol. 149: 61-71. 1997
Bartoli, B et al.First report of a species of Folliculovarium Gu & Shen, 1983 (Bucephalidae: Prosorhynchinae) from European marine waters, with the description of F. mediterraneum n. sp. Systematic Parasitology, Vol 56, Number 2, Oct. 2003
P.Bartoli1, D.I.Gibson, The status of Lecithochirium grandiporum (Rudolphi, 1819) (Digenea: Hemiuridae), a rarely reported and poorly known species from the Mediterranean moray eel Muraena helena L. in the Western Mediterranean. Systematic Parasitology, Vol 68, 3 Nov. 2007
Muraena helena, Mediterranean moray: fisheries, aquarium
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