Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Echidna: Greek, echidna = viper, 1847 (Ref. 45335); sagamiensis: Name 'sagamiensis' from the type locality of the new species, Sagami Bay.
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.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: Japan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 38.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 138933); 30.4 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 128 - 134. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: small-sized moray eel (232.2-385.0 mm TL); anus situated slightly anterior to mid-body (preanus length 43.1-49.3% of TL); snout short, blunt (snout length 15.3-20.9% of HL); single branchial pore (rarely two or three) located below and posterior to dorsal fin origin; both jaws with many conical, and few molar-like conical teeth, without long canines; peripheral series of intermaxillary teeth uniserial, sometimes intermediate intermaxillary teeth were present; median series of intermaxillary teeth uniserial or absent; vomerine teeth uniserial or biserial, larger than maxillary teeth; maxillary teeth without serrations; body pale brown, entirely covered with numerous yellowish-white to yellowish-brown spots, except on snout; eye with fine dark margin; posterior dorsal and anal fins slightly yellowish-green; predorsal vertebrae 3-6 (mode 4), preanal vertebrae 52-54 (53), total vertebrae 128-134 (131) (Ref. 138933).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Fujita, A., N. Oomori, H. Senou and H. Wada, 2026. Two new species of the genus Echidna (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from the Pacific coast of southern Japan. Ichthyol. Res. 1-14. (Ref. 138933)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. |
Trophic level (Ref. 69278) |
3.4 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives |
Resilience (Ref. 120179) |
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.). |
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153) |
Low vulnerability (20 of 100). 🛈 |