44: MORINGUIDAE (SPAGHETII EELS)
Spaghetti eel
44.3 Moringua microchir
Bleeker, 1853
Spaghetti-paling
Moringua microchir Bleeker, 1853: 124 (Indonesia) ; Smith , 1961 : 572,
No. 1094a (in part); 1962: 463* (in part); Castle, 1968: 25.
Head 10-15 in TL. Juveniles orange-yellow, belly bluish.
Attains about 30 cm . Natal, common northwards; IndoWest Pacific to Japan.
Family No. 45: MURAENESOCIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Pike congers
Snoekpalings
Body elongate , tail compressed . Pectoral fins present.
Dorsal origin slightly before pectoral base ; median fins continuous around tail. Mouth relatively large, terminal. Posterior nostril a simple hole in front of eye . Teeth relatively
large, especially those on front of jaws and on vomer.
Lateral-line pores indistinct, head pores absent. No scales.
Plain grey-brown, lighter below with median fins darkedged . Adults on bottom offshore. Our single species
attains 180 cm and is good eating. All oceans, abundant
enough in India and southeast Asia to be commercially
significant. Seven genera worldwide, 1 genus and species in
our area. Reviewed by Castle & Williamson (1975).
Genus Muraenesox McClelland, 1843
Two species; 1 in our area. M. cinereus (Forsskal , 1775),
of the Red Sea and northern Indian Ocean to Japan , has 6678 D rays before a vertical at the anus, 40-47 LL pores before the anus, interorbital width about 8.2 in head length ,
and 145-159 vertebrae.
Pike conger
45.1 Muraenesox bagio
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Snoekpaling
Muraena bagio Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 364 (India) . Muraenesox
cinereus (non Forsskiil): Smith , SFSA No 1117*; Castle, 1967: 7*.
Muraenesox bagio: Castle & Williamson , 1975: 4*.
D rays before anus 47-59 ; LL pores before anus 33-39. Head 5.5-6 ;
depth 16-22 in TL. Mouth extends beyond eye. Interorbital 9-11 in head.
Teeth large ; those in middle row of vomer very prominent , blade-like,
with anterior and posterior basal cusps; those in principal row of lower jaw
similar, erect , not turned outwards. Vertebrae 128-141.
Body greyish brown, lighter below; median fins edged
with black. Attains 180 cm. Known from Knysna eastwards,
caught occasionally by hook and line off Port Elizabeth or
Durban, in 100 m; also Madagascar, Mauritius and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific. "A nasty brute to handle",
188
according to J.L.B . Smith, who also described the scene on
a trawler (under the title "The Cook Cooked") when the
cook was examining the catch to select fish to fry for the
crew. Suddenly he was chased by a large pike conger and
could only escape the snapping jaws by leaping onto the
stove.
• •
" :
• • •• • •
•
• • . . . . . . N
45.1 Muraenesox bagio: 150 em .
Family No. 46: SYNAPHOBRANCHIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Cutthroat eels
Keelsnypalings
Pectoral fins present. Dorsal origin more or less over
pectoral base to behind anus; anus far forwards, close to
pectoral; median fins continuous around tail. Mouth a
small, terminal slit or more often large, extending to
beyond eye. Rear nostril very close to front of eye. Teeth
small , uniserial to multiserial on jaws; teeth on vomer much
larger, few to multiserial. Gill openings ventrolateral, or
variously ventral to entirely confluent below throat. Lateral
line complete or reduced to a few pores in front. Scales
present or absent. Grey to black. Mostly on bottom in
100 - 2 000 m. Larvae very distinctive , in open ocean. Some
species attain 120 cm. All oceans; of no commercial significance. Twelve genera, 18 species; 6 genera and 7 species in
our area. Reviewed by Robins & Robins (1976).
KEY TO GENERA
la Snout short, blunt, mouth a small transverse slit; scales
present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Simenchelys
Ib Snout normal , mouth extends to below rear margin of
eye or beyond ; scales present or absent ... . . . . . ... . .. ... 2
2a LL reduced to a few pores anteriorly; anus about level
with P tip; scales absent ........... ... .. ..... Dysomma
2b LL complete; anus considerably behind P base (except
Diastobranchus); scales present . . . .. . .. . . ... . .. . . .. . . 3
3a Gill openings ventrolateral, oblique .. . . . .. . .. Diastobranchus
3b Gill openings ventral , horizontal ~ .. . ... . . . . .. . .... . . . . 4
4a Vomerine teeth few , very large, uniserial; gill openings
separate ... .. ......... ............... ... /lyophis
4b Vomerine teeth many, more or less irregularly biserial;
gill openings joined below throat , at least anteriorly . ..... . .. 5
Spaghetti eel
44.3 Moringua microchir
Bleeker, 1853
Spaghetti-paling
Moringua microchir Bleeker, 1853: 124 (Indonesia) ; Smith , 1961 : 572,
No. 1094a (in part); 1962: 463* (in part); Castle, 1968: 25.
Head 10-15 in TL. Juveniles orange-yellow, belly bluish.
Attains about 30 cm . Natal, common northwards; IndoWest Pacific to Japan.
Family No. 45: MURAENESOCIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Pike congers
Snoekpalings
Body elongate , tail compressed . Pectoral fins present.
Dorsal origin slightly before pectoral base ; median fins continuous around tail. Mouth relatively large, terminal. Posterior nostril a simple hole in front of eye . Teeth relatively
large, especially those on front of jaws and on vomer.
Lateral-line pores indistinct, head pores absent. No scales.
Plain grey-brown, lighter below with median fins darkedged . Adults on bottom offshore. Our single species
attains 180 cm and is good eating. All oceans, abundant
enough in India and southeast Asia to be commercially
significant. Seven genera worldwide, 1 genus and species in
our area. Reviewed by Castle & Williamson (1975).
Genus Muraenesox McClelland, 1843
Two species; 1 in our area. M. cinereus (Forsskal , 1775),
of the Red Sea and northern Indian Ocean to Japan , has 6678 D rays before a vertical at the anus, 40-47 LL pores before the anus, interorbital width about 8.2 in head length ,
and 145-159 vertebrae.
Pike conger
45.1 Muraenesox bagio
(Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
Snoekpaling
Muraena bagio Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822: 364 (India) . Muraenesox
cinereus (non Forsskiil): Smith , SFSA No 1117*; Castle, 1967: 7*.
Muraenesox bagio: Castle & Williamson , 1975: 4*.
D rays before anus 47-59 ; LL pores before anus 33-39. Head 5.5-6 ;
depth 16-22 in TL. Mouth extends beyond eye. Interorbital 9-11 in head.
Teeth large ; those in middle row of vomer very prominent , blade-like,
with anterior and posterior basal cusps; those in principal row of lower jaw
similar, erect , not turned outwards. Vertebrae 128-141.
Body greyish brown, lighter below; median fins edged
with black. Attains 180 cm. Known from Knysna eastwards,
caught occasionally by hook and line off Port Elizabeth or
Durban, in 100 m; also Madagascar, Mauritius and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific. "A nasty brute to handle",
188
according to J.L.B . Smith, who also described the scene on
a trawler (under the title "The Cook Cooked") when the
cook was examining the catch to select fish to fry for the
crew. Suddenly he was chased by a large pike conger and
could only escape the snapping jaws by leaping onto the
stove.
• •
" :
• • •• • •
•
• • . . . . . . N
45.1 Muraenesox bagio: 150 em .
Family No. 46: SYNAPHOBRANCHIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Cutthroat eels
Keelsnypalings
Pectoral fins present. Dorsal origin more or less over
pectoral base to behind anus; anus far forwards, close to
pectoral; median fins continuous around tail. Mouth a
small, terminal slit or more often large, extending to
beyond eye. Rear nostril very close to front of eye. Teeth
small , uniserial to multiserial on jaws; teeth on vomer much
larger, few to multiserial. Gill openings ventrolateral, or
variously ventral to entirely confluent below throat. Lateral
line complete or reduced to a few pores in front. Scales
present or absent. Grey to black. Mostly on bottom in
100 - 2 000 m. Larvae very distinctive , in open ocean. Some
species attain 120 cm. All oceans; of no commercial significance. Twelve genera, 18 species; 6 genera and 7 species in
our area. Reviewed by Robins & Robins (1976).
KEY TO GENERA
la Snout short, blunt, mouth a small transverse slit; scales
present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Simenchelys
Ib Snout normal , mouth extends to below rear margin of
eye or beyond ; scales present or absent ... . . . . . ... . .. ... 2
2a LL reduced to a few pores anteriorly; anus about level
with P tip; scales absent ........... ... .. ..... Dysomma
2b LL complete; anus considerably behind P base (except
Diastobranchus); scales present . . . .. . .. . . ... . .. . . .. . . 3
3a Gill openings ventrolateral, oblique .. . . . .. . .. Diastobranchus
3b Gill openings ventral , horizontal ~ .. . ... . . . . .. . .... . . . . 4
4a Vomerine teeth few , very large, uniserial; gill openings
separate ... .. ......... ............... ... /lyophis
4b Vomerine teeth many, more or less irregularly biserial;
gill openings joined below throat , at least anteriorly . ..... . .. 5