''Muraena'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of twelve

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of large

eel Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...

s in the family

Muraenidae 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 f ...

. This genus is common in the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

, and is abundantly represented in tropical and subtropical seas, especially in rocky parts or on

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...

s. In the majority, a long fin runs from the head along the back, round the tail to the vent, but all are destitute of

pectoral Pectoral may refer to: * The chest region and anything relating to it. * Pectoral cross, a cross worn on the chest * a decorative, usually jeweled version of a gorget * Pectoral (Ancient Egypt), a type of jewelry worn in ancient Egypt * Pectorali ...

and

ventral fin Pelvic fins or ventral fins are paired fins located on the ventral surface of fish. The paired pelvic fins are homologous to the hindlimbs of tetrapods. Structure and function Structure In actinopterygians, the pelvic fin consists of two en ...

s. The skin is scaleless and smooth, in many species ornamented with varied and bright colours. The mouth is wide, the jaws strong and armed with formidable, generally sharply pointed, teeth, which enable the ''Muraena'' not only to seize its prey (which chiefly consists of other fishes) but also to inflict serious, and sometimes dangerous, wounds on its enemies. It attacks persons who approach its places of concealment in shallow water, and is feared by fishermen. At least one species, ''Muraena retifera'', possesses an additional "raptorial pharyngeal jaw" within the

pharynx The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the oesophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its struc ...

, which is mobile and can be thrust forwards quickly to assist in grasping prey. Some of the tropical ''Muraenas'' exceed a length of 5 feet (150 cm), but most of the species, among them the

Mediterranean moray The Mediterranean moray (sometimes also called Roman eel, ''Muraena helena'', ''زريمباية'') is a fish of 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 d ...

, are somewhat smaller. The latter, the "murena" of the Italians and the ''Muraena helena'' of

ichthyologist Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish ( Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 33,400 species of fish had been described as of Octobe ...

s, was considered by the ancient Romans to be one of the greatest delicacies, and was kept in large ponds and aquaria. It is not confined to the coasts of southern

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, but is spread over the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...

, and is not uncommon on the coasts of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Its body is generally of a rich brown, marked with large yellowish spots, each of which contains smaller brown spots.

Species

* '' Muraena appendiculata'' ( Guichenot, 1848) * '' Muraena argus'' ( Steindachner, 1870) (White-spotted moray) * '' Muraena augusti'' ( Kaup, 1856) * '' Muraena clepsydra'' C. H. Gilbert, 1898 (Hourglass moray) * ''

Muraena helena The Mediterranean moray (sometimes also called Roman eel, ''Muraena helena'', ''زريمباية'') is a fish of 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 d ...

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

(Mediterranean moray) * '' Muraena lentiginosa'' Jenyns, 1842 (Jewel moray) * '' Muraena melanotis'' ( Kaup, 1860) (Honeycomb moray) * '' Muraena pavonina'' J. Richardson, 1845 (Whitespot moray) * '' Muraena retifera'' Goode & T. H. Bean, 1882 (Reticulate moray) * '' Muraena robusta'' Osório, 1911 (Stout moray)

Formerly Included Species

* ''Muraena anguilla'' Linnaeus, 1758 (

European eel The European eel (''Anguilla anguilla'') is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They are normally around and rarely reach more than , but can reach a length of up to in exceptional cases. Eels have been important sources of fo ...

) - valid as ''Anguilla anguilla'' Linnaeus, 1758

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q283352 Muraenidae Extant Miocene first appearances