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Most fish species with pharyngeal teeth do not have extendable pharyngeal jaws. A particularly notable exception is the highly mobile pharyngeal jaw of the moray eels.These are possibly a response to their inability to swallow as other fishes do by creating a negative pressure in the mouth, perhaps induced by their restricted environmental niche (burrows) or in the air in the intertidal zone. [10]
English: Moray eels have two sets of jaws: 1) the oral jaws that capture prey; and 2) the pharyngeal jaws (similar to the jaws of the monster in the movie Alien) that advance into the mouth and move prey from the oral jaws to the oesophagus for swallowing.
Moray eel jaw anatomy In addition to the presence of pharyngeal jaws, morays' mouth openings extend far back into the head, compared to fish which feed using suction. In the action of lunging at prey and biting down, water flows out the posterior side of the mouth opening, reducing waves in front of the eel which would otherwise displace prey.
The jaws of the Kidako moray, or moray eels in general, hold a dual-jaw system for feeding. [10] They primarily use the oral jaws to deliver prey into the esophagus with sharp and piercing teeth. The teeth are curved backward and point towards its throat to avoid prey coming back out of its mouth. [ 13 ]
An illustration of the pharyngeal jaws of a moray eel Pharyngeal jaws are a "second set" of jaws contained within the pharynx of many species of fish, distinct from the primary (oral) jaws. Pharyngeal jaws have been studied in moray eels where their specific action is noted.
Gymnothorax kontodontos E. B. Böhlke, 2000 (Short-tooth moray) Gymnothorax longinquus (Whitley, 1948) Gymnothorax maderensis (J. Y. Johnson, 1862) (Shark-tooth moray) Gymnothorax mareei Poll, 1953 (Spot-jaw moray) Gymnothorax margaritophorus Bleeker, 1864 (Blotch-necked moray) Gymnothorax marshallensis (L. P. Schultz, 1953) (Marshall Islands ...
The snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa), also known as the clouded moray among many vernacular names, is a species of marine eel of the family Muraenidae. [3] It has blunt teeth ideal for its diet of crustaceans, a trait it shares with the zebra moray ( Gymnomuraena zebra ).
The branchial system is typically used for respiration and/or feeding. Many fish have modified posterior gill arches into pharyngeal jaws, often equipped with specialized pharyngeal teeth for handling particular prey items (long, sharp teeth in carnivorous moray eels compared to broad, crushing teeth in durophagous black carp).