Sains Malaysiana 44(1)(2015): 41–47

 

Notes on the Moray Eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of Malaysia with Two New Records

(Nota Mengenai Belut Laut (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) di Malaysia dengan Dua Rekod Baru)

 

 

KAR-HOE LOH1*, MUHAMMAD ALI SYED HUSSEIN2, VING-CHING CHONG3

& A. SASEKUMAR3

 

1Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

 

2Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu,

Sabah, Malaysia

 

3Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Received: 23 December 2013/Accepted: 23 June 2014

 

 

ABSTRACT

Two new records of moray eels (Muraenidae), Gymnothorax margaritophorus Bleeker, 1864 and Strophidon sathete (Hamilton 1822), are reported for Malaysia. They are represented by two specimens each, all collected from Sabah waters. The present study also provides the current taxonomic and distributional information of the Malaysian moray eels. To date, there are 33 species belonging to six genera of the Muraenidae in Malaysian waters based on the published records.

 

Keywords: Anguilliformes; moray eels; Muraenidae; new records; taxonomic revision

 

ABSTRAK

Dua rekod baru belut laut (Muraenidae), Gymnothorax margaritophorus Bleeker, 1864 dan Strophidon sathete (Hamilton 1822), dilaporkan untuk Malaysia. Kedua-duanya diwakili oleh dua spesimen bagi setiap spesies dan semua spesimen diperoleh dari perairan Sabah. Kajian ini juga memberikan maklumat terkini mengenai taksonomi dan taburan belut laut di Malaysia. Setakat ini perairan Malaysia mempunyai 33 spesies daripada enam genus Muraenidae berdasarkan rekod-rekod yang telah diterbitkan.

 

Kata kunci: Anguilliformes; belut laut; Muraenidae; rekod baru; semakan taksonomi

REFERENCES

Ambak, M.A., Isa, M.M., Zakaria, M.Z. & Ghaffar, M.A. 2010. Fishes of Malaysia. Terengganu: Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Atan, Y., Jaafar, H. & Abdul Majid, A.R. 2010. Ikan Laut Malaysia: Glosari Nama Sahih Spesies Ikan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. pp. 142-144.

Bleeker, P. 1853. Diagnostische beschrijvingen van nieuwe of weinig bekende vischroorten van Sumatra. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch indie 4: 243-302.

Böhlke, E.B. 1997. Notes on the identity of elongate unpatterned Indo-Pacific morays, with description of a new species (Muraenidae, subfamily Muraninae). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 147: 89-109.

Böhlke, E.B. & Randall, J.E. 2000. A review of the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Hawaiian Islands, with descriptions of two new species. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 150: 203-278.

Böhlke, E.B. & Smith, D.G. 2002. Type catalogue of Indo-Pacific Muraenidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 152: 89-172.

Böhlke, E.B., McCosker, J.E. & Smith, D.G. 1999. Family Muraenidae, In FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, edited by Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.N. Vol. 6, Batoid fishes, chimaeras, bony fishes part 1. pp. 1643-1657.

Castle, P.H.J. & McCosker, J.E. 1986. Family No. 41: Muraenidae. In Smiths’ Sea Fishes (Smith & Heemstra). pp. 165-176.

Chen, J.T.F. & Weng, H.T.C. 1967. A review of the Apodal fishes of Taiwan. Biological Bulletin Tunghai University Ichthyology 6(32): 1-86.

Chen, H.M., Shao, K.T. & Chen, C.T. 1994. A review of the muraenid eels (Family Muraenidae) from Taiwan with descriptions of twelve new records. Zoological Studies 33(1): 44-64.

Chong, V.C., Lee, P.K.Y. & Lau, C.M. 2010. Diversity, extinction risk and conservation of Malaysia fishes. Journal of Fish Biology 76: 2009-2066.

Department of Fisheries Malaysia. 2009. Valid local name of Malaysian marine fishes. Department of Fisheries Malaysia. Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry. p. 180.

Hatooka, K. & Randall, J.E. 1992. A new moray eel (Gymnothorax: Muraenidae) from Japan and Hawaii. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 39(3): 183-190.

Hatooka, K. & Yoshino, T. 1982. Moray eels (Pisces, Muraenidae) in the collection of the University of the Ryukyus. Galaxea 1: 87-109.

Herre, A.W.C.T. 1940. Additions to the fish fauna of Malaya and notes on rare or little known Malayan and Bornean fishes. Bulletin of the Raffles Museum 16: 27-61.

Loh, K.H., Shao, K.T. & Chen, H.M. 2011. Length-weight relationships for 39 species of moray eel from the waters around Taiwan. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 27: 945-948.

Maxwell, C.N. 1921. Malayan Fishes. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House. pp. 104.

Mohsin, A.K.M. & Ambak, M.A. 1996. Marine Fishes and Fisheries of Malaysia and Neighbouring Countries. Terengganu: Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Myers, R.F. 1991. Micronesian Reef Fishes. A Practical Guide to the Identification of the Inshore Marine Fishes of the Tropical Central and Western Pacific. 2nd ed. Barrigada, Guam: Coral Graphics. p. 298.

Randall, J.E. & Lim, K.K.P. 2000. A checklist of the fishes of the South China Sea. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 8 (Supplement): 569-667.

Randall, J.E. & Golani, D. 1995. Review of the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea. Bulletin of Marine Science 56(3): 849-880.

Schultz, L.P., Herald, E.S., Lachner, E.A., Welander, A.D. & Woods, L.P. 1953. Fishes of the Marshall and Marianas Islands. Vol. 1. United States National Museum Bulletin 202. p. 685.

Smith, D.G. 2012. A checklist of the moray eels of the world (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae). Zootaxa 3474: 1-64.

Smith, J.L.B. 1962. The moray eels of the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Ichthyological Bulletin 23: 421-444.

Tanaka, S. 1918. Two new species of Japanese fishes. Zoological Magazine Tokyo 30(352): 51-52.

Tsai, W.L., Chen, H.M., Hsieh, C.H., Lin, W.F. & Hwang, D.F. 2009. A potential methodology for differentiation of ciguatera-carrying species of moray eel. Food Control 20: 575-579.

Zhang, C.G., Tang, W.Q., Liu, D., Zhang, Z.L. & Zhang, S.Y. 2010. Fauna Sinica. Osteichthyes. Anguilliformes, Notacanthiformes. Beijing: Science Press. p. 453.

 

 

*Corresponding author; email: khloh@um.edu.my

 

 

previous