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

Muraena argus ( Steindachner 1870)

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

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

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

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Pacific.

Muraena augusti (Kaup 1856)

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

? Thyrsoidea dumerili Kaup 1856a: 62 .

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

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

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76 , 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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Muraena bettencourti Osório 1911: 76 , 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 (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 . See Echidna nocturna 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 Jordan & Davis 1891: 609 (San Cristóbal I. [Chatham I.], Galápagos Is.). Holotype, USNM 38300 .

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

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

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Pacific.

Muraena melanotis ( Kaup 1859)

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

Muraena (Muraena) albomarginata Pfaff 1933: 305 , 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 : 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

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

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

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

DISTRIBUTION: Western Atlantic.

Muraena robusta Osório 1911

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

Gymnothorax nevezi Roux 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 , fig. 1 (Galeta I., 9°24'20"N, 79°52'18"W, Panama [ Atlantic ]). Holotype (unique), MCZ 44035.

VERTEBRAE: 3–4, 62–65, 149–158

DISTRIBUTION: Atlantic.

Genus Pseudechidna Bleeker 1863

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