Biology:Scuticaria okinawae

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Short description: Species of fish

Muraena australiae
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Genus: Scuticaria
Species:
S. okinawae
Binomial name
Scuticaria okinawae
(D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1901)[2]

Scuticaria okinawae is a moray eel found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.[3] It is commonly known as the shorttailed snake moray, shorttail moray, Seale's moray eel, or the Bennett's moray.[4]

Description

The shorttail moray is uniform gray, brown, or purplish-brown in color, having a slender body with a blunt head and small eyes, and attains a length of up to 90.5 centimetres (35.6 in) SL.[5][6] This species is identified by its noticeably short tail, with the anus at ​23 TL. [3] The shorttail moray is believed to be nocturnal, as there is no certainty in its sleep cycle.[7] This species of moray has been rarely sighted, and not much is known regarding its life.[7]

Distribution and Habitat

The shorttail moray can be found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, Hawaii, etc[3], as well as Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, etc.[8] It is usually found hiding in coral reefs and rocks.[9]

Taxonomy

Scuticaria okinawae was previously referred to as Gymnomuraena bennetti, Scuticaria bennetti, or Uropterygius bennetti in a number of publications (Smith 1962; McCosker et al. 1984; Randall 1996). However, Böhlke and McCosker (1997) demonstrated that Gymnomuraena bennetti is a junior synonym of Channomuraena vittata, so they resurrected okinawae for the eel previously misidentified as bennetti. Uropterygius unicolor Seale, 1917 (given the unnecessary replacement name U. sealei Whitley, 1932) and Gymnomuraena brevicauda Regan, 1903 are synonyms.[10][11]

References

  1. Smith, D.G.; Tighe, K.; McCosker, J. (2019). "Scuticaria okinawae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T195815A2421972.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/195815/2421972. Retrieved 31 December 2021. 
  2. Jordan, David Starr; Snyder, John Otterbein (1901). "A Review of the Apodal Fishes or Eels of Japan, with Descriptions of Nineteen New Species". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 23 (1239): 886–887. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7511998. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Scuticaria okinawae summary page" (in en). https://www.fishbase.us/summary/Scuticaria-okinawae.html. 
  4. "Common Names List - Scuticaria okinawae". https://www.fishbase.se/ComNames/55168. 
  5. Randall, J.E., 2007. Reef and shore fishes of the Hawaiian Islands. Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu. i-xivb + 1-546.
  6. Stender, Keoki. "Shorttail Snakemoray, Scuticaria Okinawae." Marinelifephotography.com, 2026, www.marinelifephotography.com/fishes/eels/scuticaria-okinawae.htm. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Hoover, John. "Scuticaria Okinawae." Hawaiisfishes.com, 2026, www.hawaiisfishes.com/fishes/neatfish/Scuticaria_okinawae.htm. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  8. GBIF. "Scuticaria Okinawae (Jordan & Snyder, 1901)." Gbif.org, 2026, www.gbif.org/species/5213109. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  9. iNaturalist. "Photos of Short-Tailed Snakemoray (Scuticaria Okinawae) · INaturalist." INaturalist, 2021, www.inaturalist.org/taxa/123527-Scuticaria-okinawae/browse_photos. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  10. Böhlke, E.B. and J.E. McCosker, 1997. Review of the moray eel genus Scuticaria and included species (Pisces: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae: Uropterygiinae). Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 148:171-176.
  11. Flanders Marine Institute. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Scuticaria Okinawae (Jordan & Snyder, 1901)." Marinespecies.org, 2026, www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217531. Retrieved 2026-03-02.

Wikidata ☰ Q2516530 entry