5505
Moray (48 photos)
I do not think anyone fascinated admiring looks moray eels - despite the often beautiful color of her body, the exterior of this fish repellent. Predatory look small piercing eyes, unpleasant mouth with teeth, needles, snake-like body and inhospitable nature of moray eels did not have a friendly conversation.
Try to become better acquainted with this, in its own interesting and unique fish. Maybe our relationship to it, even a little, warmer.
Moray (Muraena) belong to the genus of fish from the family of acne (Muraenidae). In the seas of the world ocean is home to about 200 species of moray eels. Most of them prefer the warm waters of the tropical and subtropical zones. Frequent habitue of coral reefs and underwater rocks.
Quite common in the Red Sea, and live in the Mediterranean. In the Red Sea live snezhinkovaya moray, moray zebra, geometric moray eel, starry, belopyatnistaya and elegant moray. The largest of them - the starry moray, its average length is 180 cm.
Inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean moray reaches 1, 5 meters in length. It was her way was the prototype for the many legends and myths about these predatory fish with a rather unusual appearance. For permanent residence choose a cleft in the rock shelter in the reef rubble, in general - a place where you can safely hide large and did not secure the body. Dwells mainly in the bottom layer of the seas.
Appearance morays known to everyone. Long, serpentine body, completely naked and devoid of scales, covered with mucus, which in some species is poisonous. Mucus helps Muren arrow to jump out of hiding when hunting, significantly reducing water resistance. In addition, covered with a thick layer of mucus body easier to squeeze into tight holes and crevices that eels are used as shelters and homes. Poison contained in the skin mucus some moray eels, is protective function, protecting the body from various parasites and enemies. Touching the body such morays can cause a person to burn on the skin.
Body camouflage color corresponds to the surrounding landscape. Moray eels often painted in dark brown or grayish tone with spots forming on the body of the similarity of the marble pattern. There are also painted monochromatic, white, and even individuals. Since the mouth of a moray eels of considerable size, its inner surface is painted to match the body color, not to unmask moray eels when she opens her mouth widely. A mouth moray eels, almost always open. Pumping through the open mouth of a gill openings water, moray increases the access of oxygen to the body.
The head is small, giving even more vicious form of moray eels, round eyes. Eye are small gill openings, which usually has a dark spot. Front and rear nasal openings in moray eels are located on the upper side of the snout - the first pair is represented by a simple hole, the second is in some species is in the form of tubes, while others - leaves. If Muren "plug" the nostrils, it would not be able to find their prey. An interesting feature of moray eels - the lack of language. Their powerful jaws seated 23-28 sharp caniniform or shiloobraznymi teeth, curved back, which helps to keep the moray eels caught prey. Virtually all moray eels teeth are arranged in a single row, Exception - Atlantic green moray eel, which has an additional row of teeth located on the palatine bone.
Moray eels teeth long and extremely sharp. In some species of moray eels in the diet dominated by shellfish - shellfish, crabs, teeth have a flattened shape. Such teeth is easier to chop and grind solid defense production. The teeth do not contain poison moray eels. Jaws all moray eels are very powerful, large size. The pectoral fins are absent from moray eels, and the rest - the dorsal and tail fused into one, framing the back of the body, the plume.
Moray eels can be significant. According to various sources, their length can be 2, 5, and even more than 3 meters (the world's largest giant moray Thyrsoidea macrura). Polutorametrovy individuals weigh an average of 8-10 kg. Interestingly, the males are smaller and "slimmer" females, with a weight up to 40 kg. Among moray eels and small species occur, the length of which does not exceed ten centimeters. The average size of moray eels, the most frequent divers, about one meter. Typically, males slightly smaller than females.
Moray eels breed caviar. During the winter months they are going in the shallows. Eggs and larvae hatched from them moray eels move in the water and are carried by sea currents over a large area seas. Moray eels are predators, their diet consists of different benthic animals - crabs, crustaceans, cephalopods, particularly octopus, medium-sized marine fish and even sea urchins. Food extract are primarily night. Hiding in ambush, lying in wait for moray eels gaping booty boom jumping out of it if there is within the reach of a potential victim, and grabs it with his sharp teeth. Moray afternoon sitting in their home - clefts of the rocks and corals, among large rocks and other natural shelters and rarely hunt. Sight when moray crushes his victim rather unpleasant. She instantly breaks the prey with their long teeth into small parts and for a few moments from the victim left alone memories.
Moray eels can hunt, not only from an ambush. Favorite treat most moray eels - octopus. In pursuit of these sedentary animals, moray driving him in the "corner" - some shelter or cleft and, poking his head to his soft body, removes from him piece by piece, starting with tentacles until you break into small pieces and eat without residue. Small prey moray may be swallowed whole, like snakes. When biting a piece of a large body of the victim, moray eels often helps its own tail, which she, as a lever increases the power of his jaws. A peculiar way of hunting used nosed eels. These relatively small moray eels representatives named for growths on their upper jaw. These nose flaps, staggering under a stream of water, reminiscent of sedentary marine worms - polychaetes. Type "production" attracts small fish, which are themselves very quickly lurking predator prey.
In search of food moray eels, like most nocturnal predators, rely on the sense of smell. Their vision is weak, and at night it is - a bad assistant in search of food. Moray victim may feel at a considerable distance. The notoriety of fish are dangerous to humans was fixed for moray eels since ancient times. In ancient Rome, the noble citizens are often kept in pools morays, growing for food - meat of these fish is extremely valued because of the specific taste. Quickly assess the ability of moray eels to be aggressive, noble Romans used them as a weapon to punish the guilty slaves, and sometimes - throwing tank with moray eels people solely for the sake of entertainment. Really - oh, time! .. Oh, the morals! .. Muren, before arranging such torture or spectacles, kept starvation. When the pool turned out to be a man, they pounced on him and hanging on to the victim, like bulldogs, shaking jaws, tearing chunks of flesh.
About the dangers of moray eels for people in their natural habitat, there are different opinions. Some researchers believe it quite peaceful animals, floats teeth solely for protection from too bothersome divers others find moray eels extremely dangerous sea creatures. Anyway, cases of attacks and bite people know a lot of moray eels. Here are some of them. In 1948, biologist J. Brock, who later became director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, swam diving near Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean at a shallow depth. Before diving into the water Brock threw a grenade - it was part of the research program, which involved a biologist. Noticing a large moray eels in the water and thinking that she killed with a grenade, Brock taunted her spear. However, moray eel, whose length is 2, 4 meters, was far from dead: she rushed straight at the offender and clutched his arm. Moray, attacking the man, causing a wound that looks like a bite mark barracuda. But unlike barracudas, moray not immediately swims away, and hangs on his victim, like a bulldog. Brock was able to rise to the surface and get to the waiting boats nearby. However, surgeons have long to mess around with this wound, as it was very heavy. The victim nearly lost an arm.
Suffered from moray eels and a famous pop singer Dieter Bohlen (duo Modern Talking). During the dive, the Seychelles moray grabbed his leg, tearing the skin and muscles of the singer. D.Bolen after this incident had surgery, and spent a whole month in a wheelchair. One skilled in the art even had to move a couple of moray eels from the popular tourist reef (Old cod hole, the Great Barrier Reef, 1996). When feeding, the fish so much devoured hand diver from New Zealand that could not be saved. Unfortunately, for the carriage of moray eels were killed.
I think that these examples will help novice divers to assess the risk of meeting with moray eels and take measures to prevent such incidents. These measures are simple - do not provoke moray eels to the aggressive actions. Very rarely (usually exhausted by hunger) moray no reason to attack humans. Seeing moray eels, do not spook the fish - closer to her home, trying to stroke and even more so - to put their hands in her shelter. Fans of spearfishing should not shoot holes and crevices just to check - if there is a moray eel. If she's really alive, then surely you will be attacked. If it does not provoke, she will not touch you.
Directed fishing for morays not conducted. They are caught in single copies for human consumption. It should be noted that some of the meat and organs of moray eels in different seasons may contain toxic chemicals that cause severe stomach cramps and nerve lesion. Therefore it is necessary to explore further the issue before the taste of meat moray eels.
Sometimes morays contain large aquariums. The behavior of these predators in an enclosed space can be varied. Moray eels often exhibit extreme aggressiveness to the neighbors on the aquarium, sometimes completely indifferent to cohabitants. In captivity, moray eel can live for more than ten years. Moray eels, as well as all predatory fish are an important part of the ecological balance of the seas, where they live. Therefore, the destruction of their negative impact on the health of the fauna of these regions.
In ancient times, moray eels were considered so terrible monsters. Then believe in the great sea monsters that can swallow whole ship. And this ability attributed, in particular, moray eels. Later in history there were cases where they were trained to attack humans. But all this would never hurt people hunt for moray eels. It is eaten and considered a delicacy, although its meat can be very toxic. The ancient Romans held morays in special pens to prepare for their peers. They were terrible punishment for slaves. Such is the strange food chain. In the Caribbean, and now popular ceviche moray eels - a dish that is prepared very exotic way and quite brutal.
Source: masterok.livejournal.com
Try to become better acquainted with this, in its own interesting and unique fish. Maybe our relationship to it, even a little, warmer.
Moray (Muraena) belong to the genus of fish from the family of acne (Muraenidae). In the seas of the world ocean is home to about 200 species of moray eels. Most of them prefer the warm waters of the tropical and subtropical zones. Frequent habitue of coral reefs and underwater rocks.
Quite common in the Red Sea, and live in the Mediterranean. In the Red Sea live snezhinkovaya moray, moray zebra, geometric moray eel, starry, belopyatnistaya and elegant moray. The largest of them - the starry moray, its average length is 180 cm.
Inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean moray reaches 1, 5 meters in length. It was her way was the prototype for the many legends and myths about these predatory fish with a rather unusual appearance. For permanent residence choose a cleft in the rock shelter in the reef rubble, in general - a place where you can safely hide large and did not secure the body. Dwells mainly in the bottom layer of the seas.
Appearance morays known to everyone. Long, serpentine body, completely naked and devoid of scales, covered with mucus, which in some species is poisonous. Mucus helps Muren arrow to jump out of hiding when hunting, significantly reducing water resistance. In addition, covered with a thick layer of mucus body easier to squeeze into tight holes and crevices that eels are used as shelters and homes. Poison contained in the skin mucus some moray eels, is protective function, protecting the body from various parasites and enemies. Touching the body such morays can cause a person to burn on the skin.
Body camouflage color corresponds to the surrounding landscape. Moray eels often painted in dark brown or grayish tone with spots forming on the body of the similarity of the marble pattern. There are also painted monochromatic, white, and even individuals. Since the mouth of a moray eels of considerable size, its inner surface is painted to match the body color, not to unmask moray eels when she opens her mouth widely. A mouth moray eels, almost always open. Pumping through the open mouth of a gill openings water, moray increases the access of oxygen to the body.
The head is small, giving even more vicious form of moray eels, round eyes. Eye are small gill openings, which usually has a dark spot. Front and rear nasal openings in moray eels are located on the upper side of the snout - the first pair is represented by a simple hole, the second is in some species is in the form of tubes, while others - leaves. If Muren "plug" the nostrils, it would not be able to find their prey. An interesting feature of moray eels - the lack of language. Their powerful jaws seated 23-28 sharp caniniform or shiloobraznymi teeth, curved back, which helps to keep the moray eels caught prey. Virtually all moray eels teeth are arranged in a single row, Exception - Atlantic green moray eel, which has an additional row of teeth located on the palatine bone.
Moray eels teeth long and extremely sharp. In some species of moray eels in the diet dominated by shellfish - shellfish, crabs, teeth have a flattened shape. Such teeth is easier to chop and grind solid defense production. The teeth do not contain poison moray eels. Jaws all moray eels are very powerful, large size. The pectoral fins are absent from moray eels, and the rest - the dorsal and tail fused into one, framing the back of the body, the plume.
Moray eels can be significant. According to various sources, their length can be 2, 5, and even more than 3 meters (the world's largest giant moray Thyrsoidea macrura). Polutorametrovy individuals weigh an average of 8-10 kg. Interestingly, the males are smaller and "slimmer" females, with a weight up to 40 kg. Among moray eels and small species occur, the length of which does not exceed ten centimeters. The average size of moray eels, the most frequent divers, about one meter. Typically, males slightly smaller than females.
Moray eels breed caviar. During the winter months they are going in the shallows. Eggs and larvae hatched from them moray eels move in the water and are carried by sea currents over a large area seas. Moray eels are predators, their diet consists of different benthic animals - crabs, crustaceans, cephalopods, particularly octopus, medium-sized marine fish and even sea urchins. Food extract are primarily night. Hiding in ambush, lying in wait for moray eels gaping booty boom jumping out of it if there is within the reach of a potential victim, and grabs it with his sharp teeth. Moray afternoon sitting in their home - clefts of the rocks and corals, among large rocks and other natural shelters and rarely hunt. Sight when moray crushes his victim rather unpleasant. She instantly breaks the prey with their long teeth into small parts and for a few moments from the victim left alone memories.
Moray eels can hunt, not only from an ambush. Favorite treat most moray eels - octopus. In pursuit of these sedentary animals, moray driving him in the "corner" - some shelter or cleft and, poking his head to his soft body, removes from him piece by piece, starting with tentacles until you break into small pieces and eat without residue. Small prey moray may be swallowed whole, like snakes. When biting a piece of a large body of the victim, moray eels often helps its own tail, which she, as a lever increases the power of his jaws. A peculiar way of hunting used nosed eels. These relatively small moray eels representatives named for growths on their upper jaw. These nose flaps, staggering under a stream of water, reminiscent of sedentary marine worms - polychaetes. Type "production" attracts small fish, which are themselves very quickly lurking predator prey.
In search of food moray eels, like most nocturnal predators, rely on the sense of smell. Their vision is weak, and at night it is - a bad assistant in search of food. Moray victim may feel at a considerable distance. The notoriety of fish are dangerous to humans was fixed for moray eels since ancient times. In ancient Rome, the noble citizens are often kept in pools morays, growing for food - meat of these fish is extremely valued because of the specific taste. Quickly assess the ability of moray eels to be aggressive, noble Romans used them as a weapon to punish the guilty slaves, and sometimes - throwing tank with moray eels people solely for the sake of entertainment. Really - oh, time! .. Oh, the morals! .. Muren, before arranging such torture or spectacles, kept starvation. When the pool turned out to be a man, they pounced on him and hanging on to the victim, like bulldogs, shaking jaws, tearing chunks of flesh.
About the dangers of moray eels for people in their natural habitat, there are different opinions. Some researchers believe it quite peaceful animals, floats teeth solely for protection from too bothersome divers others find moray eels extremely dangerous sea creatures. Anyway, cases of attacks and bite people know a lot of moray eels. Here are some of them. In 1948, biologist J. Brock, who later became director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, swam diving near Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean at a shallow depth. Before diving into the water Brock threw a grenade - it was part of the research program, which involved a biologist. Noticing a large moray eels in the water and thinking that she killed with a grenade, Brock taunted her spear. However, moray eel, whose length is 2, 4 meters, was far from dead: she rushed straight at the offender and clutched his arm. Moray, attacking the man, causing a wound that looks like a bite mark barracuda. But unlike barracudas, moray not immediately swims away, and hangs on his victim, like a bulldog. Brock was able to rise to the surface and get to the waiting boats nearby. However, surgeons have long to mess around with this wound, as it was very heavy. The victim nearly lost an arm.
Suffered from moray eels and a famous pop singer Dieter Bohlen (duo Modern Talking). During the dive, the Seychelles moray grabbed his leg, tearing the skin and muscles of the singer. D.Bolen after this incident had surgery, and spent a whole month in a wheelchair. One skilled in the art even had to move a couple of moray eels from the popular tourist reef (Old cod hole, the Great Barrier Reef, 1996). When feeding, the fish so much devoured hand diver from New Zealand that could not be saved. Unfortunately, for the carriage of moray eels were killed.
I think that these examples will help novice divers to assess the risk of meeting with moray eels and take measures to prevent such incidents. These measures are simple - do not provoke moray eels to the aggressive actions. Very rarely (usually exhausted by hunger) moray no reason to attack humans. Seeing moray eels, do not spook the fish - closer to her home, trying to stroke and even more so - to put their hands in her shelter. Fans of spearfishing should not shoot holes and crevices just to check - if there is a moray eel. If she's really alive, then surely you will be attacked. If it does not provoke, she will not touch you.
Directed fishing for morays not conducted. They are caught in single copies for human consumption. It should be noted that some of the meat and organs of moray eels in different seasons may contain toxic chemicals that cause severe stomach cramps and nerve lesion. Therefore it is necessary to explore further the issue before the taste of meat moray eels.
Sometimes morays contain large aquariums. The behavior of these predators in an enclosed space can be varied. Moray eels often exhibit extreme aggressiveness to the neighbors on the aquarium, sometimes completely indifferent to cohabitants. In captivity, moray eel can live for more than ten years. Moray eels, as well as all predatory fish are an important part of the ecological balance of the seas, where they live. Therefore, the destruction of their negative impact on the health of the fauna of these regions.
In ancient times, moray eels were considered so terrible monsters. Then believe in the great sea monsters that can swallow whole ship. And this ability attributed, in particular, moray eels. Later in history there were cases where they were trained to attack humans. But all this would never hurt people hunt for moray eels. It is eaten and considered a delicacy, although its meat can be very toxic. The ancient Romans held morays in special pens to prepare for their peers. They were terrible punishment for slaves. Such is the strange food chain. In the Caribbean, and now popular ceviche moray eels - a dish that is prepared very exotic way and quite brutal.
Source: masterok.livejournal.com
