Moray fish: what it looks like and what it eats, is it dangerous for humans, size and where it lives
Moray fish was considered a delicacy by the ancient Romans. This creature has an elongated body and coloration that helps it blend in with its surroundings. It has an extra pair of jaws that it uses to bite. Despite the fact that the moray eel is considered edible, the use of some species of its species can be harmful to he alth. The interesting shape and potential danger associated with this fish make it quite attractive.
Description of the fish
The family of moray eels consists of sixteen genera and more than two hundred species, all of which belong to the eel order. Much attention is paid to the giant moray eel, which can be toxic if eaten.
Moray eels are often mistakenly thought to be snakes because they look like snakes. However, moray eels are members of the ray-finned fish family, while snakes are classified as reptiles and need atmospheric air to breathe. Moray eels, unlike snakes, are able to constantly live in water and breathe oxygen obtained from it.
The confusion gets even worse as moray eels live in shallow water and are able to glide over land for a while using skin respiration. Despite the similarities in physical appearance and movement, snakes and moray eels are different species.
The giant moray eel is one of the most aggressive species in the family. It looks even scarier as it grows in size, some of these individuals reach a length of up to three meters or more. This species usually lives alone, so it is rare to see a group of these large snake-like fish.
Murena should not be considered friendly.She is able to rush and bite if she senses a threat. This does not happen often, but intentionally provoking this fish is unwise. Remember not to stick your bare hands into any crevices, as predators with sharp teeth lurk there, which will certainly treat you unkindly.
In the past, moray eels were thought to be poisonous. This idea was based on the idea that when a fish bites, poison is released into the wound, similar to poisonous snakes. However, this theory has not been proven, since no glands were found in moray eels to produce poison.
Whether moray eels are dangerous to humans or not depends on the situation. Cases have been recorded when these fish bit the hand of people who dismantled fish on land. But then they reacted to movement, the smell of fish, and probably believed that the hand was an octopus (which moray eels just love to eat).
Sharks are known to sometimes attack surfers when they swim on the board in a prone position. Due to poor visibility, surfers resemble turtles, a common food for sharks. Similarly, moray eels, with their poor eyesight, are more likely to misread objects than deliberately attack people.
Moray eels also become aggressive if disturbed during mating. This can happen when divers, either accidentally or on purpose, interfere with their courtship activities, resulting in violent hostility from the fish.
Examples of close and safe interaction with moray eels were observed, some daredevils even taught them to eat from human hands. However, it is unwise to try to grab such a fish, because it is very dangerous because of their sharp teeth, capable of piercing any glove. If the fish clings to the hand with its jaws, then it will be oh so difficult to break free.
The bite can be extremely painful, sometimes medical attention is required to avoid dangerous consequences, especially if the bite is deep enough to get mucus or dirt into the wound.Even a minor wound must be treated promptly to stop any risk of infection. As a rule, standard antiseptics are sufficient for such injuries. However, after a bite, it is still recommended to contact a medical specialist.
Appearance
These fish are similar in appearance to their relatives eels, but have a larger and more formidable snout. Their body is long and sinuous, the result of an increase in the number of vertebrae over time. Instead of scales, they are covered in a protective slime that allows them to crawl into tight spaces and protect them from danger and injury when they catch their prey. Coloration varies from brownish-greenish, yellowish hues, white, blue hues and black. They often have spots (like leopards), markings (marble) or stripes (zebra). Patterns are found even on the inside of their mouths.
The dorsal fin of moray eels stretches from head to tail and is quite noticeable, which makes it possible not to mistake this fish for a snake. But there are some species in which this dorsal fin is almost invisible. In addition, the pectoral and ventral fins are usually absent. The eyes of these fish are rather small, and their eyesight is not very developed. However, they have an exceptional sense of smell, which helps them locate prey at night or when visibility is poor. The nostrils are sometimes shaped into tubes that mimic worms, acting as bait for prey.
Moray eels have small gills, located far from the mouth. This hole is always open, it is necessary for pumping water to the gills. The large size of their mouths allows them to absorb even large prey with ease. Depending on the species' diet, they have either sharp or blunt teeth. Sharp for slippery prey, blunt for hard-shelled crustaceans. The sizes of moray eels vary in different species, but some weigh up to fifty kilograms.
Moray eels have an unusual jaw structure. In addition to the standard jaws, they have a movable pharyngeal jaw located at the back of the mouth. As they catch prey, the inner jaws move forward to help them grab the prey, and then the second set of jaws pulls back, pulling lunch down their throats.
Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionThe teeth on the second jaw are also capable of surprising; they can be folded so as not to interfere with the slippage of food, and at the same time this folding helps to preserve the teeth.This special way of dragging food into the stomach compensates for moray eels' lack of ability to create reduced pressure in the mouth, which means they cannot swallow like other fish do. On the other hand, their double jaw helps them hold their prey more firmly in their mouths.
Habitat
Moray eel lives in all seas except the Arctic Ocean, it is also in the Mediterranean waters and in the Red Sea. Most species exist in s alt water, but some survive in fresh water as well.
Moray eels prefer warm water, living mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. Some species have adapted to the cool temperatures of temperate climates.
Coral reefs are the preferred habitat for moray eels. They lead a benthic lifestyle and during the day hide in rock crevices and among corals. These fish often peek out from their hiding place and turn their heads from side to side, trying to smell potential prey. At night, this dangerous dweller of the deep leaves his hiding place to pursue his prey.
Diet
These predators eat not only fish, but also crustaceans, octopuses (they are especially fond of them), sea urchins and stars, squid and other living creatures that they can catch. In addition, brethren who are smaller in size also become prey.
Moray eels are known for their swiftness in attacking their prey, usually taking them by surprise. They swallow fish whole, and larger prey, such as octopuses, which do not fit in their mouths at once, are swallowed in pieces.
Moray eels and coral groupers sometimes hunt together. The process is as follows: the coral bass discovers prey that is hidden among the corals and inaccessible to it. Then he looks for the moray eel and with a nod of his head indicates to her the location of the victim. A demersal predator grabs food and then shares it with its "tip" fish.
The rest of the meal will be taken care of by carrion fish and shrimp. The latter help remove dirt from the skin of moray eels and even clean their teeth.
Natural Enemies
Moray eels, especially large varieties, have practically no enemies in their natural habitat. It is worth remembering that they sometimes grow more than 3 meters in length. Occasionally they come into battle with small sharks, moreover, they usually come out victorious.
Method of reproduction
It is believed that moray eels have hermaphroditism - that is, they have the ability to be both male and female at different points in their lives. However, two fish are needed for breeding. During spawning, fish intertwine with each other. The eggs are released in shallow water and left to float freely in the water. The fertilized eggs will then be carried away by the current.
The lifespan of moray eels varies greatly. In aquariums, their lifespan is usually short compared to their natural habitat, where their lifespan is much longer. For example, giant moray eels live up to 35 years or more in the wild.
Popular species
There are more than two hundred species of moray eels. However, the most popular are those that are eaten, are brightly colored and/or kept in aquariums.
Freshwater
This species is able to survive for a long time in desalinated water, but brackish water is more suitable for its habitat. In the wild, it is usually quite small, reaching up to 55 cm in length, while in captivity it only grows to half that size. Its coloration is greyish brown and it prefers warm habitats. Its life expectancy reaches 25-35 years, depending on the conditions in which it exists. At the same time, it is completely non-toxic to humans.
Brindle
The tiger reef eel (the second name of the species) is distinguished by its yellow and black coloration. It is easy to meet in warm Pacific waters. It is also found in the Indian Ocean. Its habitat is mostly coral reefs.
Gold
This species is often found in fish tanks and stands out for its beautiful honey-yellow hue. When kept in captivity, it reaches a size of more than fifty centimeters.
Black
Different black-violet hue with small spots a few tones lighter. This species lives in the subtropical waters of the Atlantic and reaches a meter in length.
Green
This species is found off the American coast in Atlantic waters. The color varies from shades of green to brownish, and the mucus is yellowish. This is a fairly large creature, measuring about two meters in length.
Leopard
The coloration of the leopard fish is almost identical to that of the leopard, hence it gets its name. This is a fairly large fish and is easy to find in coastal waters near Japan and the eastern part of the African continent.
Mediterranean
This creature is sometimes called the "Roman eel" and lives in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean waters.Differs in dark color, in grayish-brown scale. Not to be confused with the leopard variety, as the latter has spots on the body. The Mediterranean species reaches one and a half meters in length and weighs about 13-18 kg. This moray eel is edible and its skin is used to make beautiful and expensive items.
Can I eat moray eels
It is recommended to avoid eating moray eel meat unless you are sure of its safety and do not know where the fish was caught, as there is a potential risk of contracting a disease called ciguatera.
In general, these fish are legal to eat. However, it is important to be careful when choosing the type of fish, as some species contain toxins that are dangerous to humans if ingested. For example, the giant moray eel and yellow-spotted species accumulate ciguatoxins, which are poisonous to humans. It is noteworthy that these toxins are mainly found in the liver of these species.
It is noteworthy that this type of toxin is not unique to moray eels, it is also found in other reef fish. The source of the toxin is special algae that live in coral reefs and are eaten by herbivorous fish before they are eaten by predators such as conger eels and the same moray eels. Despite the danger it poses when it enters the human body, these toxins are not a problem for fish.
Ciguatoxin is not destroyed by heat, which means that it will not be destroyed by normal cooking. After eating fish or other seafood containing ciguatoxin, people develop ciguatera disease, which is characterized by gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea and neurological symptoms such as sensitivity to light and numbness of the tongue. As a rule, the disease does not carry long-term consequences.
