Gymnothorax buroensis ( Bleeker 1857 )

Smith, David G., Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Mal, Ahmad O. & Alpermann, Tilman J., 2019, Review of the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4704 (1), pp. 1-87 : 20-22

Gymnothorax buroensis ( Bleeker 1857) —Latticetail Moray

( Figure 10 )

Muraena buroensis Bleeker 1857: 79 (Kajeli, Buru I., Molucca Is., Indonesia). Holotype (unique), RMNH 7197 .

Muraena corallina Klunzinger 1871: 614 (Al-Quseir [Kosseir], Egypt, Red Sea). No types known.

Gymnothorax meleagris (non Shaw): Marshall 1952: 223.

Gymnothorax corallinus: Tortonese 1955: 51 ; Goren & Dor 1994: 7.

Lycodontis corallinus: Dor 1984: 27 .

Lycodontis buroensis: Dor 1984: 431 .

Gymnothorax buroensis: Goren & Dor 1994: 7 ; Randall & Golani 1995: 854; Khalaf 2004: 35; Golani & Bogorodsky 2010: 10; Golani & Fricke 2018: 20.

Red Sea material. Israel: BPBM 18248 (2, 195–247), Eilat; HUJ 15092 (4, 132–205), Eilat. Egypt: BMNH 1951.1.16.67-72 (6, 104–171), Sanafir Island; BPBM 20849 (1, 338), Marsa el Mukabeila; HUJ 7174 (1, 348), El Himeira; HUJ 10686 (2, 330–345), Nuweiba; HUJ 15088 (5, 170–265), El Kura; USNM 312283 (1, 205), Ras Burqa; USNM 312299 (7, 156–224), Egypt, Strait of Jubal; USNM 312308 (5, 99–220), Marsa el Mukabeila; USNM 312310 (4, 86–295), between Marset Mahash El Ala and Marset Abu Samra; USNM 312317 (5, 103–279), El Himeira. Saudi Arabia: KAUMM 392 [ KAU 13-545] (1, 227), Al Wajh; KAUMM 393 [ KAU 14-813] (1, 142), Al Lith; KAUMM 416 [ KAU 11-528] (1, 135), Al Wajh; SMF 35806 [ KAUST 11-481] (1, 164), An-Nuwayshiziyah; SMF 35805 [ KAU 14-808] (1, 203), Al Lith; SMF 35829 [ KAU 11-21] (1, 173), Al Lith; SMF 33619 (1, 253), Jeddah; USNM 147427 (1, 211), 5 km north of Jeddah. Yemen: USNM 397543 (1, 98), Hanish Island.

Comparative material. Agalega I.: USNM 312319 (7, 142–265) . Indonesia: RMNH 7197 (1, 208, holotype) ; USNM 312264 (3, 170–253) . Australia: USNM 312276 (1, 222) . Tonga: USNM 334259 (4, 214–253) , USNM 338836 (2, 172–230) . French Polynesia, Moorea : MNHN 2008-0235 (1, 190) ; MNHN 2008-0236 (1, 138) ; MNHN 2008 -0321 (1, 181) ; MNHN 2008-0322 (1,182) ; MNHN 2008-0434 (1, 245) ; MNHN 2008-0435 (1, 231) ; MNHN 2008-0436 (1, 275) ; USNM 390971 (2, 129–166) ; USNM 391228 (1, 133) . French Polynesia, Marquesas : USNM 409086 [MARQ-086] (1, 256). Clipperton I.: USNM 352344 (3, 128–273).

Description. In TL: preanal length 2.0–2.3, predorsal length 6.9–10, head length 6.4–8.3, body depth at anus 11–21. In head length: snout length 5.2–8.7, eye diameter 6.3–11, upper-jaw length 2.0–3.3. Pores: LL 2, SO 3, IO 4, POM 6. Vertebrae: predorsal 4–6, preanal 43–51, total 106–115.

Body stout, anus usually before midlength, dorsal-fin origin before gill opening. Head and jaws moderate, jaws closing completely. Eye moderate, over middle of upper jaw. Gill opening mid-lateral. Anterior nostril in a short to moderate tube; posterior nostril oval, above anterior margin of eye, without a raised rim except in large specimens.

Teeth conical, sharp, smooth. Intermaxillary teeth in five rows across: a peripheral series of small teeth, an intermediate series of 3–4 larger teeth on each side, and a median series of 2–3 depressible teeth. Maxillary teeth biserial, those of outer row smaller and more numerous, the inner teeth larger and fewer; outer row slightly longer than inner. Dentary teeth in one row except for one or two larger teeth anteriorly slightly inside the main row. Vomerine teeth small, uniserial.

Color: ground color variable, pale grayish brown to brown, body gradually becoming darker posteriorly; body mottled with pale and dark brown but no spots, or with about five longitudinal rows of small black spots superimposed anteriorly, posterior half of body with pale flecks; head uniformly grayish brown anteriorly, usually uniform darker brown or occasionally mottled with pale brown posteriorly; fins yellow-edged posteriorly; anterior nostril dark brown.

A small species, perhaps not exceeding 400 mm.

Distribution and habitat. Throughout the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to Central America, perhaps absent from Hawaiian Islands. Primarily in shallow water, although recorded to 25 m ( Böhlke & Randall, 2000: 230). Common on coral reefs, where it lives cryptically. The range of this species is largely complementary to that of the related species Gymnothorax eurostus (Abbott) , an antitropical species that occurs mainly north and south of about 16° latitude. The latter species does not occur in the northern Indian Ocean.

Remarks. There is a marked modal difference in the number of vertebrae between specimens from the Red Sea and elsewhere. Twenty-five Red Sea specimens had 106–111 total vertebrae, whereas 30 specimens from the Indian Ocean to Central America (Agalega Island, Indonesia, Australia, Tonga, Moorea, and Clipperton Island) had 110–115. The comparable numbers for preanal vertebrae are 43–47 vs. 45–51. Muraena corallina Klunzinger would be available if the Red Sea population were recognized as a species, although we refrain from taking such action at this time, as there is no difference in genetics, and there are no other morphological distinctions. The COI gene does not differentiate any of the populations of this species, either inside or outside the Red Sea. From the present phylogeny it becomes apparent that Gymnothorax buroensis is closely related to G. meleagris (Shaw) and G. eurostus (Abbott) . The latter name is assigned (by the respective sequence authors) to two distinct genetic lineages that most likely represent similar but separate species. We cannot at present contribute to solving the question if one of these lineages is correctly identified and what name (if any) would apply to the other species.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Gymnothorax buroensis. A: SMF 33619, 253 mm TL, fresh specimen, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; B: KAUMM 392 [KAU13-545], 227 mm TL, alive, Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia; C: alive, Dahab, Egypt. Photos by S.V. Bogorodsky.