Family MORINGUIDAE

Moringuidae

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Introduction

A total of 15 species in two genera are recognised in the Moringuidae (Castle 1984; Nelson et al. 2016; Fricke et al. 2018). Seven species in two genera have been recorded from Australia (Castle 1968, Paxton et al. 2006). Nelson et al. (2016) placed the family in a separate suborder Moringuoidei.

Spaghetti eels are commonly taken as juveniles in coral reef collections. Recorded food items include polychaetes, foraminiferans and fishes. Moringuids are thin, elongate eels with small eyes and no scales, and reach a maximum length of 1.2 m. Juveniles have reduced fins that develop develop towards maturity. Striking sexual dimorphism complicates the taxonomy.

The moringuids have not been revised comprehensively. Of the two recognised genera, Neoconger was revised by Smith & Castle (1972), and the three western Indian Ocean species of Moringua were revised by Castle (1968) who discussed taxonomic problems of the Indo-Pacific species. The Moringua remain in critical need of revision. Smith (1999) provided a key to genera and suggested that the number of species might be very small. Allen & Erdmann (2012) treated species recorded from the East Indies.

General References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Castle, P.H.J. 1968. A contribution to a revision of the moringuid eels. Special Publication of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology Rhodes University 3: 1-29 figs 1-3

Castle, P.H.J. 1984. Notacanthiformes and Anguilliformes: development. pp. 62-93 figs 29-43 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760

Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W.N. & Fong, J.D. 4 September 2018. Species of Fishes by Family/Subfamily. Catalog of Fishes: Species by Family/Subfamily. Electronic version accessed 1 Oct 2018. http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp

Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C. & Wilson, M.V.H. 2016. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons 5, 752 pp.

Paxton, J.R., J.E. Gates, D.J. Bray & D.F. Hoese. 2006. Moringuidae. pp. 238-240 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp.

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Lipogenyidae, Anguillidae, Moringuidae, Chlopsidae, Myrocongridae. pp. 1625-1642 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Smith, D.G. & Castle, P.H.J. 1972. The eel genus Neoconger Girard; systematics, osteology and life history. Bulletin of Marine Science 22(1): 196-249 figs 1-27

Common Name References

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Lipogenyidae, Anguillidae, Moringuidae, Chlopsidae, Myrocongridae. pp. 1625-1642 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068. [1637] (FAO) (Spaghetti Eels)

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