Rev. Biol. Trop.,38(1): 137-141, 1990

COMUNICACIONES

Muraenid tishes (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Colombian Caribbean, with notes on Channomuraena vittata and Muraena robusta

Jairoe Garzón-Ferreira Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas de Punta de Betín (INVEMAR), Apartado 1016, Santa Marta, Colombia.

Arturo Acero P. Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Instituto de Ciencias Naturales), INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia.

(Rec. 12-1-1988. Acep. 4-VIl-1989)

Resumen: Del Caribe colombiano se conocen 14 especies de murénidos; se presenta una discusión de su presencia en seis regiones colombianas. Se registran por vez primera dos especies raras para la región de Santa Marta: Channomura(!na vil/ata, que era desconocida de aguas continentales, y Muraena robusta, que sólo tenía una cita para el Caribe.

Key words: eels, geographic distribution, Colombia.

Eels of the family Muraenidae are conspic­ surge (Garzón-Ferreira 1989). In that bay the uous elements of the reef fish communities of only other moray found was G. ocellatus, a tropical seas, but they live also on muddy bot­ species normally collected trawling over soft toros (Cervigón 1980). For more than ten years bottoms; this medium-sized eel also appears in we have studied Colombian Caribbean reef fish­ Santa Marta and Urabá, regions highly influ­ es, and felt surprised by the high number of enced by continental sediments. moray species. In this note we discuss the pres­ The two species of EncheLycore, E. catenata ence of two rare forms near Santa Marta and and M. miLiaris have been collected or observed the abuildance of muraenids in Colombian Ca­ in at least four of the discussed regions; E. ca­ ribbean water. rychroa, the smallest species of this group, is Most fishes were observed and collected diving with abundant and frequent in rotenone collections SCUBA and using small amounts of rotenone solution; ad­ ditional specimens were obtained with hook and line and in coral formations, but it is rarely seen. The traps. Material of all the species presented is deposited at other three forms are medium-sized morays, Ihe fish collection of the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas that seem to be absent only from very turbid de Punta de Betín (lNVEMAR-P), Santa Marta, Colombia. areas. Measurements were taken in fresh following Hubbs and Lagler (1958). Three of the other species are dwarf morays collected mainly in the nests of the sand tilefish rabie 1 shows the list of moray species found MaLacanthus pLumieri; G. hubbsi and M. acuta in Colombian Caribbean waters, and relates it are in fact known in the Colombian Caribbean with six relatively well known localities (Fig. only from those habitats at the Santa Marta re­ 1). Several interesting aspects can be discussed gion (Acero et aL. 1984, Acero and Garzón in after checking it. press). Uropterygius diopus has been seen also The three species of Lycodontis are the most at Providencia and Islas del Rosario, areas char­ widely distributed; they are large, agressive acterized by well developed coral reefs. forms, which apparently dwell in almost any The last three morays are large species which kind of shallow marine reef. They occur even have been collected only during fishing opera­ in the Guajiran bay of Portete, where reef fishes tions; G. conspersus and M. robusta are known are strongly limited due to high turbidity and to us only from specimens caught in deep water 138 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

TABLE 1

Fishes o/ the family Muraenidae known from several explored region?ol,he Colombian Caribbean: Bahía de Portel€ (BP), Santa Marta and Parque Nacional Tayrona (SM), Islas del Rosario (IR), Islas de San Bernardo (S8), Urabá Chocoano (UR) and Isla de Providencia (IPJ, Collecled (C) or visually identified in dives (V).

Region BP SM IR SB UR IP Species

ChannomuraelUlvittara (Richardson) C

Echidna carenara (Bloch) C C C C V

Enchelycore carychroa BOhlke & Bohlke C C C C C

E. nigricans (Bonnaterrc) C C C C C

Gymnothorax conspersusPoey C

G. hubbsi Bohlkc & B6hlke C

G. ocellatus Agassiz C C e

Ly codonris funebris (Ranzani) e e V V e V

L. moringa (Cuvier) V e e e e e

L. vicinus (Castclnau) e e e e e V

Monopenchelys acula (Parr) e

Muraena miliaris (Kaup) e e e e

M. robusraOsorio e

Uroprerygiusdiopus Bohlke e V e

traps in the Santa Marta region. Channomuraena large specimen of Ihis unmistakable species. The fish was scen for only few seconds before il disappeared in a crevice vittata is a rare form, discussed below. at 15 m depth, near the lower edge of a fringing reef: the In conclusion, fourteen muraenid species are dominam corals present were Montastrea cavernosa, M. known from the Colombian Caribbean, aH of annularis and Diploria spp. The 20th of September, 1988. them present in the Santa Marta region. In about an individual was fished at night in 24 m depth al Arrecifes. 100 Km' this region holds a mixture of environ­ about 10 km casi of Guachaquita: the boUom al Ihis sector is mainly rocky. The fish was preserved (lNVEMAR-P ments (soft bottoms and coral fonnations), and 1551) and its morphometric charactcristics are presented in a very narrow continental shelf. It seems Table 2; it is a female in quiescenl stage of maluration (slage improbable that any other Caribbean region may 11). The spccies is easily separalcd by its distinctive colora­ shelter a marine fauna as heterogeneous as that tion. large size. projecting lower jaw. small teeth. and re­ duced dorsal and anal fins, confincd lo Ihe posterior pan of of Santa Marta. body. Head coloralion of our spccimen is reversed, Le. snout is dark in ours, clear in the literature; therefore il Channomuraena vittata (Richardson) appears Ihal the Colombian individual is chocolate brown (Fig. 2) with yellowish brown bands. The spccies is known from oceanic islands at both sides Ichth)'ophis vittatus Richardson. Voy. Sulphur, Fishes: of Ihe tropical Atlantic and from Hawaii: in the weslem 114. 1844 (Iocalily unccnain). Atlantic it has becn reponed from Bermuda, Bahamas and C. v¡(fata, Bohlke (1978): Cervigón (1980): 163: Lub­ Ihe Antillean ringo This is the fjrsl repon of Ihis moray from bock (1980): 284; Bohlke (1981); Robins eral. (1986): 52. a cominental shelf. The Santa Mana region has relalively The 4th of August. 1981. while SCUBA diving at Ense­ well dcvelopcd rcef formalions. but water condilions are nada de Guachaquita (11"2I'N. 74"03'W), Parque Nacional not insular since strong sedimenlation and a seasonal upwell­ Natural Tayrona (Santa Mana). (he first aulhor observed a ing appear as imponant environmental factors (Acero and GARZON-FERREIRA & ACERO: Muraenidfishes oCthe Colombian Caribbean 139

81° 78° 75° 72°W

CARIBBEAN SEA o 100 200 Km

NICA­ RAGUA

2 12° \

¡ '" ( i ¡ ¡ c:, .... ·�yENEZUElA COLOMBIA \ ,. i '. '.". ,...... _._.

Fig. l. Colombian earibbean areas of collection and observation of muraenid fishes: Bahía de Portete (1), Santa Marta and Parque Nacional Tayrona (2), Islas del Rosario (3), Islas de San Bemardo (4), Urabáchocoano(S) and Isla de Providencia (6).

Channomuraena Fig. 2. Female villala (1052 mm total length) from (he Caribbean coast of Colombia. 140 REVISTADE BIOLOGlATROPICAL

Fig. 3. Specimen of Muraena robusta (1270 mm totaJlength) collected in lhe Colombiao Caribbean.

Garzón 1987). These faets ¡ncrease (he importance of the captured the material of the two rare species. Sven lea records of C. vittata in ¡he Colombian Caribbean, since it corrected the English text. was apparently restricted to insular waters.

Muraena robusta Osorio TABLE 2 (Fig. 3) Morphomelric (mm) and weighl (gr) M. robusta Osorio. Mem. Mus. Bocage, 1: 75, 1909 data 01 specimens 01 Channomuraena vittata robusta (Cape Verde); Bahlke and Ross (1981): 123--125; Bahlke and Muraena Irom the Colombian Caribbean. (1981). Gymnothorax galetae Rubinoff (1966): 1--4.

In April 1984 a specimen of this moray was capturcd C. vittata M. robusta in a fish trap al about 70 m depth between Santa Marta and Taganga bays. In fresh it had ao orange-hrownhead. grey­ Totallength 1052 1270 violaceous body wilh(he blotches of the anterior four fifths Headlenglh 167 207 orange and lhose of the las1 fifth brown; gill openinglocated Snoutlenglh 17 26 923 in the ventral third of a black blotch, orange iris and inside Predorsallenglh 140 of mouth lo larynx orange yellow. The fish was preserved Bodydepth 153 187 (lNVEMAR-P 1552) and its measuremenls appearin Table Tip of snout to anus 703 612 2. The species is easily separaled by coloralion, origin of Length of eye 9 8 dorsal fin and tubular posterior nostrils. Weight 2220 4030 The species seems to be mainly weslem African in dis­ tribulion, but il was reported once from Panamá as ajuvenile REFERENCES and apparently it is not rare in the southem Atlantic coast of Ihe United States. This individual is Ihe first adult of Acero P., A. & J. Garzón F. 1987. Peces arrecifales de la M. robusta recorded from the Caribbean. región de Santa Marta (Caribe colombiano). 1. Lista de especies y comentarios generales. Acta Bio1. Col. 1:83- ACKNOWLEOGMENTS 105.

This paper is a contribution of the Programa de Ecosis­ Acero P., A. & J. Garlón F. In Press. Peces arrecifales de temas Marinos of INVEMAR. José Polo and Octavio Galvis la región de Santa Marta (Caribe colombiano). U. Tres GARZON·FERREIRA &. ACERO: Muraenid fishes of the Colombian Caribbean 141

nuevos registros para el Caribe sur, Carib. J. Sci. 25 Areas 34, 47 [in part). Vol. m, Department of Fisheries (1-2). & Oceans. Ottawa. Canada.

Acero P., A., J. Garzón F. & F. Kaster. 1984. Lista de los Cervigón, F. 1981 . Ictiología marina. Arte. Caracas. 360 p. peces óseos conocidos de los arrecifes del Caribe colom· biano, incluyendo 31 nuevos registros y descripciones. Caldasia 14: 37-84. Garzón-Ferreira, J. 1989. Los peces de la Bahía de Portete (Guajira), Caribe colombiano. Trianea 3: in press. BOhllke. E. B. & S.W. Ross. 1981. The occurrence of 1958. Muraena robusta O5Orio (Anguilliformes; Muraenidae) Hubbs, C.L. & K.F. Lagler. Fishes of the Great 26:1-213. in Ihe weSI Atlantic. NortheaSI Gulf Sci. 4:123-125. Lakes region. Bull. Cranbrook Insl. Sci.

Lubbock. R. 1980. The shore fishes of Ascension lsland. Bahlke, LE. 1978. Muraenidae. In W. Fischer (ed.). PAO J. Fish Biol. 17:283-303. species identification sheelS for fishery purposes. West­ em Central Allanlic (Fishing Area 31). Vol.llI, FAO, Robins. C.R., G.C. Ray & J. Douglass. 1986. A field guide Rome. 10 the Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin. Bastan. 354 p. Bahlke J.E. 1981. Muraenidae. In W. Fischer. G. Bianchi & W.B. Scott (eds.). FAO species identification sheets Rubinoff, 1. 1966. Gymnolhorax galelae. a new moray eel for fishery purposes. Eastem Central Atlantic (Fishing from the Allantic coast of Panamá. Breviora 240:1-4.