Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Echidna: Greek, echidna = viper, 1847 (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: In Greek mythology Echidna was a female monster, and mother of many other monsters including the Hydra. Hesiod described her as “half a nymph with glancing eyes and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled skin.” (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Schultz.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 24 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical; 17°N - 24°S
Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to Johnston Island.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1602)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0; Vertebrae: 121 - 130. Plain brown in color, snout with white tip, jaw with irregular white patches; darker behind eye and corner of mouth (Ref. 3257). Stout conical teeth that tend to become pebble-like, more numerous, and closely-packed with age.
Occurs among rubble deposits on the lee side of shallow wave-washed reefs. Feeds on crustaceans (Ref. 9710, 58302; 89972). Benthic (Ref. 58302).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p. (Ref. 1602)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.8 - 29.3, mean 28.4 °C (based on 1822 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00049 (0.00024 - 0.00099), b=3.26 (3.10 - 3.42), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.60 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 34.5 [19.1, 61.8] mg/100g; Iron = 0.462 [0.276, 0.837] mg/100g; Protein = 18.9 [16.6, 21.4] %; Omega3 = 0.104 [0.047, 0.282] g/100g; Selenium = 35.4 [19.4, 68.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 60.3 [17.3, 199.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.25 [0.89, 1.73] mg/100g (wet weight);
