Muraena argus ( Steindachner 1870 )

Smith, David G., 2012, A checklist of the moray eels of the world (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) 3474, Zootaxa 3474, pp. 1-64 : 30-32

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3474.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:413B8A6B-E04C-4509-B30A-5A85BF4CEE44

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E22D9400-FFBE-7E63-90CF-6DC1FAFFF9B9

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Muraena argus ( Steindachner 1870 )
status

 

Muraena argus ( Steindachner 1870) View in CoL View at ENA

Gymnothorax (Limamuraena) argus Steindachner 1870: 639 View in CoL [17], pl. 4 ( Altata , Sinaloa, w coast of Mexico). Holotype (unique), NMW 75551.

Muraena albigutta Hildebrand 1946: 132 , fig. 30 ( Lobos de Afuera   GoogleMaps I., Peru, 6°56'S, 80°43'W). Holotype, USNM 127840 About USNM .

VERTEBRAE: 4–5, 53, 128–129 (MVF 4, 53, 128).

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Pacific.

Muraena augusti (Kaup 1856)

Muraena guttata Solander and Richardson View in CoL in Richardson 1848:90. Preoccupied by Muraena gutttata Forsskål 1775 (Pseudochromidae) .

? Thyrsoidea dumerili Kaup 1856a: 62 .

Thyrsoidea augusti Kaup 1856b: 88 (Madeira) View in CoL . No types known.

Thyrsoidea atlantica Johnson 1862: 68 View in CoL (Sea near Madeira, ne Atlantic ). Holotype (unique), BMNH 1862.2 .5.2.

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76 View in CoL , pl. 2 (fig. 2) ( Ilha de Santo Antão , Cape Verde Is.). Holotype (unique), MB (destroyed in 1978 fire).

VERTEBRAE: 4–5, 51–55, 137–143.

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Atlantic.

REMARKS: For some time, this species was considered a synonym of Muraena helena Linnaeus 1758 , but its distinction has recently been confirmed ( Jimenez et al. 2007). Kaup (1856a: 62) presented the name Thyrsoidea dumerili (written as Th. A. Dumerili Kp.) and stated (translated from German) “Sir Richardson confused this species with Lemamuraena [sic] guttata ,” apparently intending the new name to apply to the species described by Richardson under the name guttata . Limomuraena guttata appeared on page 65 of the same publication ( Kaup 1856a), apparently as a new combination for Muraena guttata Solander and Richardson. This treatment makes little sense, as Kaup was apparently accepting and rejecting Richardson’s identification at the same time. The name dumerili never appeared again, and Kaup (1865b: 88) described a new species, Thyrsoidea augusti , based on a verbatim copy of Richardson’s description of Muraena guttata . One could make a case that dumerili has priority over augusti , but considering the confusion over what Kaup was referring to, this would probably be unwise. As the name dumerili has never been used since (even by Kaup), it could in any case be considered a nomen oblitum under Article 23.9 of the ICZN.

Muraena clepsydra Gilbert 1898

Muraena clepsydra View in CoL Gilbert in Jordan & Evermann 1898: 2805 ( Panama [Pacific]). Holotype, SU 6807 .

VERTEBRAE: 4–5, 47–53, 123–129(MVF 5, 50, 126).

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Pacific.

Muraena helena Linnaeus 1758 View in CoL

Muraena helena Linnaeus 1758: 244 View in CoL View Cited Treatment (Europe; America). Syntypes, ZMUU Linn. Coll. 57 (1, only surviving specimen).

Gymnothorax muraena Bloch & Schneider 1801: 525 View in CoL . No types known.

Muraena romana Shaw 1803: 26 View in CoL (Mediterranean Sea). No types known.

Muraena punctata Rafinesque 1810a: 68 View in CoL , pl. 15 (fig. 2) (Sicily). No types known.

Muraena variegata Rafinesque 1810a: 67 (Sicily) View in CoL . No types known.

Muraenophis fulva Risso 1810: 367 View in CoL ( Nice , France). No types known.

Muraena guttata Risso 1827: 191 View in CoL (Nice, France). No types known. Preoccupied by Muraena guttata Forsskål 1775 (Pseudochromidae) View in CoL .

Muraena helena australiae Richardson 1848: 80 View in CoL , pl. 49 (figs. 1–6) ( Eastern Atlantic , not Australia). Holotype (unique), BMNH 1847.5 .10.16.

Muraena vorax Ogilby 1907: 11 View in CoL ( Eastern Atlantic based on type, not Western Australia). Holotype (unique), BMNH 1847.5 .10.16. Unnecessary replacement name for Muraena helena australiae Richardson 1848 View in CoL .

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76 View in CoL , pl. 2 (fig. 2) ( Ilha de Santo Antão , Cape Verde Is.). Holotype (unique), MB (destroyed in 1978 fire).

VERTEBRAE: 4–5, 59–63, 139–148.

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern North Atlantic.

REMARKS: Wheeler (1991) described the difficulties in interpreting Linnaeus’s descriptions of species. Often, earlier works cited by Linnaeus need to be consulted to flesh out the descriptions and determine what he was dealing with. In the case of Muraena helena , several previous works are referred to, and the species was said to occur on both sides of the Atlantic (“in Europae, Americae Oceano”), implying that it was based on more than one species. The only surviving syntype, ZMUU 57, is in fact not the species currently known by that name. It is instead a specimen of Echidna , probably Echidna polyzona Richardson 1845 ( Wheeler 1991: 161) . This further complicates the matter, as Echidna polyzona is an Indo-Pacific, not an Atlantic, species. Muraena helena as currently understood is one of the longest-known and most familiar species of eel in the world. It was important to the Romans 2000 years ago, who consumed it, kept it in pens, and depicted it on their mosaics. There is no confusion over its identity. At some point it may be desirable to fix the name by setting aside the existing syntype and establishing a neotype. That, however, is beyond the scope of this paper.

Muraena lentiginosa Jenyns 1842

Muraena lentiginosa Jenyns 1842: 143 View in CoL (Santa María I. [Charles I.], Galápagos Is.). Lectotype, BMNH 1917.7 .14.13, designated by Böhlke & Smith 2002: 120.

Murenophis marmoreus Valenciennes 1846 : no p., pl. 10 (fig. 1) (Galápagos Is.). Holotype (unique), MNHN A-8533. Muraena aquaedulcis Cope 1872: 474 ( Río Grande , near San José, Costa Rica) . Holotype (unique), ANSP 14925 About ANSP . See Echidna nocturna View in CoL for comments on the stated locality .

Muraena pinta Jordan & Gilbert 1882a: 345 (Mazatlán Harbor, Sinaloa, Mexico). Lectotype, USNM 28177, designated by Smith 1994: 22.

Muraena insularum View in CoL Jordan & Davis 1891: 609 (San Cristóbal I. [Chatham I.], Galápagos Is.). Holotype, USNM 38300 About USNM .

Lycodontis xanthospilus Fowler 1944: 317 , figs. 69–71 (James Bay, James I., Galápagos Is.). Holotype (unique), ANSP 70026 About ANSP .

VERTEBRAE: 4–5, 44–51, 113–130 (or 126?) (MVF 4, 48, 118).

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Pacific.

Muraena melanotis ( Kaup 1859) View in CoL

Limamuraena melanotis Kaup 1859: 27 View in CoL , pl. 4 (fig. 3) ( West Africa ). Holotype (unique),?ZMH H390 View Materials .

Muraena (Muraena) albomarginata Pfaff 1933: 305 View in CoL , pl. 6 (figs. 1–3) (Dakar, w Africa). Holotype (unique), ZMUC.

VERTEBRAE: ––, ––, 121–127.

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Atlantic and St. Paul's Rocks, central Atlantic.

Muraena pavonina Richardson 1845

Muraena pavonina Richardson 1845a View in CoL : no p., pl. 53 (figs. 1–6) ( No locality [probably Ascension I.]). Holotype (unique), BMNH 1985.2 .19.4.

VERTEBRAE: 3–5, 49–52, 122–129 (MVF 4, 50, 127).

DISTRIBUTION: Southwestern Atlantic; Eastern Atlantic.

Muraena retifera Goode & Bean 1882 View in CoL

Murenophis punctata Castelnau 1855: 82 , pl. 42 (fig. 3) (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Holotype, MNHN B-2411. Secondarily preoccupied by Muraena punctata Rafinesque 1810 View in CoL .

Muraena retifera Goode & Bean 1882: 435 View in CoL ( Charleston , South Carolina, U.S. A). Holotype (unique), USNM 31393 About USNM .

VERTEBRAE: 4–6, 52–58, 128–135 (MVF 4, 56, 131).

DISTRIBUTION: Western Atlantic.

Muraena robusta Osório 1911 View in CoL

Muraena robusta Osório 1911: 75 View in CoL , pl. 2 (fig. 1) ( Ilha de Santo Antão , Cape Verde Is.). Holotype (unique), MB (destroyed in 1978 fire).

Gymnothorax nevezi Roux View in CoL in Collignon, Rossignol & Roux 1957: 164, fig. 17 ( Pointe-Noire , sw Congo). Syntypes, ORSTOM Pointe Noire or MNHN (1, described specimen).

Gymnothorax galetae Rubinoff 1966: 1 View in CoL , fig. 1 (Galeta I., 9°24'20"N, 79°52'18"W, Panama [ Atlantic   GoogleMaps ]). Holotype (unique), MCZ 44035.

VERTEBRAE: 3–4, 62–65, 149–158

DISTRIBUTION: Atlantic.

Genus Pseudechidna Bleeker 1863

Pseudechidna Bleeker 1863c: 272 View in CoL . Type species Muraena brummeri Bleeker 1858 View in CoL , by monotypy. Feminine.

MNHN

Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Anguilliformes

Family

Muraenidae

Genus

Muraena

Loc

Muraena argus ( Steindachner 1870 )

Smith, David G. 2012
2012
Loc

Muraena lentiginosa

Bohlke, E. B. & Smith, D. G. 2002: 120
2002
Loc

Gymnothorax galetae

Rubinoff, I. 1966: 1
1966
Loc

Gymnothorax nevezi

Collignon, J. & Rossignol, M. & Roux, C. 1957: 164
1957
Loc

Muraena albigutta

Hildebrand, S. F. 1946: 132
1946
Loc

Lycodontis xanthospilus

Fowler, H. W. 1944: 317
1944
Loc

Muraena (Muraena) albomarginata

Pfaff, J. R. 1933: 305
1933
Loc

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76

Osorio, B. 1911: 76
1911
Loc

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76

Osorio, B. 1911: 76
1911
Loc

Muraena robusta Osório 1911: 75

Osorio, B. 1911: 75
1911
Loc

Muraena vorax

Ogilby, J. D. 1907: 11
1907
Loc

Muraena clepsydra

Jordan, D. S. & Evermann, B. W. 1898: 2805
1898
Loc

Muraena insularum

Jordan, D. S. & Davis, B. M. 1891: 609
1891
Loc

Muraena pinta

Smith, D. G. 1994: 22
Jordan, D. S. & Gilbert, C. H. 1882: 345
1882
Loc

Muraena retifera

Goode, G. B. & Bean, T. H. 1882: 435
1882
Loc

Murenophis marmoreus

Cope, E. D. 1872: 474
1872
Loc

Gymnothorax (Limamuraena) argus

Steindachner, F. 1870: 639
1870
Loc

Pseudechidna

Bleeker, P. 1863: 272
1863
Loc

Thyrsoidea atlantica

Johnson, J. Y. 1862: 68
1862
Loc

Limamuraena melanotis

Kaup, J. J. 1859: 27
1859
Loc

Thyrsoidea dumerili

Kaup, J. J. 1856: 62
1856
Loc

Thyrsoidea augusti

Kaup, J. J. 1856: 88
1856
Loc

Murenophis punctata

Castelnau, F. L. 1855: 82
1855
Loc

Muraena guttata

Risso, A. 1827: 191
1827
Loc

Muraena punctata

Rafinesque, C. S. 1810: 68
1810
Loc

Muraena variegata

Rafinesque, C. S. 1810: 67
1810
Loc

Muraenophis fulva

Risso, A. 1810: 367
1810
Loc

Muraena romana

Shaw, G. 1803: 26
1803
Loc

Gymnothorax muraena

Bloch, M. E. & Schneider, J. 1801: 525
1801
Loc

Muraena helena

Linnaeus, C. 1758: 244
1758
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