Luigi Strano
Giardini Naxos - Scherzi
The Mediterranean moray (sometimes also called Roman eel, Muraena helena) 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 dangerous to humans.Muraena helena showing typical moray eel morphology: robust anguilliform shape, lack of pectoral fins and circular gill openingsThe Mediterranean moray has an elongated, eel-like body and can reach a length of 1.5 meters 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.The Mediterranean moray is known for its ‘alien’-like pharyngeal jaw. A pharyngeal jaw works like a second jaw. The moray first bites into its prey with their first set of teeth then the pharyngeal jaw/teeth come forward. It is like a two-bone hook structure (as shown in the picture at website). It grabs the prey and drags it towards its oesophagus for swallowing. This is the only animal known to do so. The Mediterranean moray’s pharyngeal jaw is homologous to the jaws of many other ray-finned fish, for example, a parrot fish, which use their pharyngeal jaw for grinding their food. Scientists believe they came to have these ‘alien’-like jaws from being in tight spaces where the suction technique used by many other fish is not ideal. It also helps when trying to eat prey larger than itself. The Mediterranean moray used to have front fins. In the absence of these it is believed the muscles which used to support them now support the movement of the pharyngeal jaw. Other muscles still have the same attachments as those of other ray-finned fish like the parrot fish but which have become larger and longer.Although snakes and Mediterranean morays are not closely related, the body of the Mediterranean moray is analogous to that of a snake. It is structured differently but serves the same function. Their bodies of both are flexible for folding or coiling into small places, for example, crevices for the Mediterranean moray and under rocks for the snake. Both also use their bodies to slither from place to place whether it be in the water or on land. The pharyngeal jaw of the Mediterranean moray (which is explained above) is also analogous to the snake’s jaw. The right and left jaw of the snake unattach allowing the snake to eat larger prey than itself successfully. The pharyngeal jaw of the Mediterranean moray uses a different method and has a different structure than the snake's but the outcome, purpose and advantage are the same. These analogous features have evolved independently of each other as both animals have adapted to their environment.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 five 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 fishes, crayfishes and cephalopods, but also feeds on dead animals.
La murena mediterranea (Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758) è un pesce d'acqua salata appartenente alla famiglia Muraenidae.È diffusa nel Mar Mediterraneo e nell'Atlantico orientale (dal sud dell'Inghilterra fino al Senegal, comprendendo le zone costiere di Azzorre, Madera, Isole Canarie, e Capo Verde). Essendo un animale schivo preferisce le coste rocciose ricche di anfratti, da dove esce solo per cacciare.Presenta un corpo anguilliforme, lungo e robusto. Le murene sono prive di pinna pettorale mentre sono dotate di una bassa pinna dorsale. La pelle (solitamente di colore bruno scuro screziato di macchie gialle e biancastre) liscia e priva di scaglie è ricoperta di muco. Non possiede la lingua. Ha narici tubulari; le mascelle sottili ma potenti. Grande rapidità di azione, gola estensibile, denti lunghi e acuminati ne fanno un predatore temibile capace di attaccare animali di notevoli dimensioni, che digerisce con calma nel suo grande stomaco.Può raggiungere una lunghezza di un metro e mezzo e pesare fino a 15 kg.È un pesce solitario e schivo, che trova rifugio negli anfratti rocciosi.Preferisce le seppie o i polpi che caccia di notte e che localizza grazie all'olfatto molto sviluppato.Si riproduce nel periodo invernale e depone delle uova pelagiche. La larva è un leptocefalo.La murena viene spesso descritta come un animale dal morso velenoso.La realtà è leggermente diversa: la saliva della murena contiene una blanda tossina (termolabile, cioè resa innocua dal calore), secreta da apposite ghiandole poste sulla mucosa palatina, che scorre tra il dente e la mucosa stessa. Il morso della murena può essere estremamente doloroso a causa dei denti molto acuminati, in grado di produrre lacerazioni dei tessuti. La bocca inoltre è piena di residui di origine animale che costituiscono un terreno di coltura per microorganismi che possono sovrainfettare le ferite.Attacca l'uomo solo se infastidita o qualora si senta minacciata.
Font : Wikipedia
Giardini Naxos - Scherzi
The Mediterranean moray (sometimes also called Roman eel, Muraena helena) 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 dangerous to humans.Muraena helena showing typical moray eel morphology: robust anguilliform shape, lack of pectoral fins and circular gill openingsThe Mediterranean moray has an elongated, eel-like body and can reach a length of 1.5 meters 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.The Mediterranean moray is known for its ‘alien’-like pharyngeal jaw. A pharyngeal jaw works like a second jaw. The moray first bites into its prey with their first set of teeth then the pharyngeal jaw/teeth come forward. It is like a two-bone hook structure (as shown in the picture at website). It grabs the prey and drags it towards its oesophagus for swallowing. This is the only animal known to do so. The Mediterranean moray’s pharyngeal jaw is homologous to the jaws of many other ray-finned fish, for example, a parrot fish, which use their pharyngeal jaw for grinding their food. Scientists believe they came to have these ‘alien’-like jaws from being in tight spaces where the suction technique used by many other fish is not ideal. It also helps when trying to eat prey larger than itself. The Mediterranean moray used to have front fins. In the absence of these it is believed the muscles which used to support them now support the movement of the pharyngeal jaw. Other muscles still have the same attachments as those of other ray-finned fish like the parrot fish but which have become larger and longer.Although snakes and Mediterranean morays are not closely related, the body of the Mediterranean moray is analogous to that of a snake. It is structured differently but serves the same function. Their bodies of both are flexible for folding or coiling into small places, for example, crevices for the Mediterranean moray and under rocks for the snake. Both also use their bodies to slither from place to place whether it be in the water or on land. The pharyngeal jaw of the Mediterranean moray (which is explained above) is also analogous to the snake’s jaw. The right and left jaw of the snake unattach allowing the snake to eat larger prey than itself successfully. The pharyngeal jaw of the Mediterranean moray uses a different method and has a different structure than the snake's but the outcome, purpose and advantage are the same. These analogous features have evolved independently of each other as both animals have adapted to their environment.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 five 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 fishes, crayfishes and cephalopods, but also feeds on dead animals.
La murena mediterranea (Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758) è un pesce d'acqua salata appartenente alla famiglia Muraenidae.È diffusa nel Mar Mediterraneo e nell'Atlantico orientale (dal sud dell'Inghilterra fino al Senegal, comprendendo le zone costiere di Azzorre, Madera, Isole Canarie, e Capo Verde). Essendo un animale schivo preferisce le coste rocciose ricche di anfratti, da dove esce solo per cacciare.Presenta un corpo anguilliforme, lungo e robusto. Le murene sono prive di pinna pettorale mentre sono dotate di una bassa pinna dorsale. La pelle (solitamente di colore bruno scuro screziato di macchie gialle e biancastre) liscia e priva di scaglie è ricoperta di muco. Non possiede la lingua. Ha narici tubulari; le mascelle sottili ma potenti. Grande rapidità di azione, gola estensibile, denti lunghi e acuminati ne fanno un predatore temibile capace di attaccare animali di notevoli dimensioni, che digerisce con calma nel suo grande stomaco.Può raggiungere una lunghezza di un metro e mezzo e pesare fino a 15 kg.È un pesce solitario e schivo, che trova rifugio negli anfratti rocciosi.Preferisce le seppie o i polpi che caccia di notte e che localizza grazie all'olfatto molto sviluppato.Si riproduce nel periodo invernale e depone delle uova pelagiche. La larva è un leptocefalo.La murena viene spesso descritta come un animale dal morso velenoso.La realtà è leggermente diversa: la saliva della murena contiene una blanda tossina (termolabile, cioè resa innocua dal calore), secreta da apposite ghiandole poste sulla mucosa palatina, che scorre tra il dente e la mucosa stessa. Il morso della murena può essere estremamente doloroso a causa dei denti molto acuminati, in grado di produrre lacerazioni dei tessuti. La bocca inoltre è piena di residui di origine animale che costituiscono un terreno di coltura per microorganismi che possono sovrainfettare le ferite.Attacca l'uomo solo se infastidita o qualora si senta minacciata.
Font : Wikipedia