FISHES OF HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
87 
about a head’s length behind anal opening, growing larger and more distinct in region where lateral 
line ceases; caudal tin distinct, pointed, its length equal to width of interorbital space. 
Color in alcohol pale brown, no spots or bars. 
One specimen, 12.6 inches long, from Honolulu reef. Type, No. 50865, V. S. Nat. Mus. 
Closely related to M. javanicus of the East Indies, but differing from that species as described in 
having pectoral fins with distinct rays, longer head, and longer tail. 
Moringua haivaiiensis Snyder, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 i Jan. 19, 1904), .'>17, pi. 3, fig. 6, Honolulu. 
Family XXXIII. MUR.-EXID.-E.—'The Morays. 
The Mursenidse represent the most degenerate type of eels so far as the skeleton is concerned, and 
they are doubtless the farthest removed from the more typical fishes from which the eels have 
descended. The essential characters of the family are thus stated by Dr. Gill: 
‘‘Colocephalous Apodals with conic head, fully developed opercular apparatus, long and wide 
ethmoid, posterior maxillines, paueiserial teeth, roundish, lateral branchial apertures, diversiform 
vertical fins, pectoral fins (typically) suppressed, scaleless skin, restricted interbranchial slits and 
very imperfect branchial skeleton, with the fourth branchial arch modified, strengthened, and sup¬ 
porting pharyngeal jaws.” 
The morays may be readily distinguished from other eels by their small round gill-openings and by 
the absence of pectorals. The body and fins are covered by a thick, leathery skin, the occipital region 
is elevated through the development of the strong muscles which move the lower jaw, and the jaws 
are usually narrow and armed with knife-like or else molar teeth. These eels inhabit tropical and 
subtropical waters, being especially abundant in crevices about coral reefs. Many of the species reach 
a large size and all are voracious.and pugnacious. The coloration is usually strongly marked, the 
color-cells being highly specialized. We exclude from the Munenidie the genus Myroconyer, from St. 
Helena, which has pectoral fins and is probably the type of a distant family. The remaining species 
are referable to 10 or 12 genera, most of which are found in America. About 120 species are known. 
The Mursenidx without fins are the simplest in structure, but their characters are those of degradation, 
and they are farther from the primitive stock than such genera as Muriena or Enclielycore. 
a. Vertical tins well developed, dorsal beginning on head. 
b. Posterior nostrils tubular: 2 pairs of nasal barbels present . . Muraena , p. 87 
bb. Posterior nostrils not tubular, sometimes with a raised border. 
c. Anterior nostril very large, as large as eye, with dilated border suggesting tlie nostril of a horse.. Enchrlynassa, p. 90 
cc. Anterior nostril not so large. 
d. Teeth mostly acute. 
e. Posterior nostrils with inconspicuous rims or none; snout moderate . Gymnothorax, p. 91 
ee. Posterior nostrils with conspicuous funnel-form border; snout very long and pointed. Eurymyctera, p. 105 
dd. Teeth mostly blunt or molar .. Echidna, p. 105 
aa. Vertical fins rudimentary, confined to end of tail. 
/. Only anterior nostrils tubular; tail about as long as trunk. Uropterygius, p. Ill 
//. Both anterior and posterior nostrils tubular; tail much shorter than trunk. Scuticaria, p. 112 
Genus 54. MUR2ENA Linnaeus. 
This genus, as now restricted, contains some 10 species, found in tropical seas, distinguished from 
Gymnothorax and from the rest of the family by the presence of 2 pairs of nasal barbels. The name 
Muriena, originally applied to all eels, should be restricted to the group typified by Muriena helena. 
It was first limited by Thunberg & Aid, in 178t>, to the eels without pectoral tins, those with such fins 
being set off as Ophichthus. The nominal species of the following key are doubtless color variations of 
a single species. 
Munena Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. X, 244, 1758 ( helena , etc., after Muriena Artedi, (Jen. Pise., 23, 1738, in part, including all 
eels, and Mursena Klein, Hist. Nat. Pise., 28, 1742. in part, including all eels without pectoral fins); Thunberg A 
Ahl, De Muriena et Ophichtho, 6, 1789 (restricted to helena, etc., including species without pectoral fins); (Jiinther, 
and of authors generally (not of Bleeker). 
Murxnophis Lacepf*de. Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 630. 1803 ( helena, etc.) 
I.imamurxna Kaup, Cat. Apodes, 95, 1856 (guttata). 
