Indian mud moray eel
| Indian mud moray eel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Muraenidae |
| Genus: | Gymnothorax |
| Species: | G. tile |
| Binomial name | |
| Gymnothorax tile (F. Hamilton, 1822) | |
The Indian mud moray, Gymnothorax tile, is a moray eel found in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.[1] It was first named by Hamilton in 1822,[1] and is also commonly known as the freshwater moray or freshwater snowflake eel. It lives in marine conditions, but travels to fresh water for breeding and spawning. When kept as pets, Indian mud morays actually thrive better in brackish water, rather than pure fresh water. It is said to reach a length of about 24 in (0.61 m). These eels can live up to 30 years. The species is characterized by a black body with orange and white speckles covering the length of the body. Gymnothorax tile, like any other moray eel, possesses a second set of jaws, called the pharyngeal jaws, to swallow their prey. This eel also possesses terrible eyesight, and instead relies upon a keen sense of smell and vibrations in the water to detect prey or approaching threats. It is for the most part a scavenger that eats dead fish, krill, shrimp, and other such foods. Due to its poor eyesight, this eel does not hunt on a normal basis, but will resort to hunting if there is no other option.
References
- 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Gymnothorax tile" in FishBase. April 2006 version.