moray eel teeth

[gregorio]

Hi,

I saw few pictures, including this one where it seems that eel have a third row of teeth in the middle of the palate. Is it right?

 

[knotical]

These documents:
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2002f/zt00104.pdf
http://www.amonline.net.au/pdf/publications/1325_complete.pdf
http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?pid=S0034-77441998000200027&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en
include diagrams showing the dentition of some moray species.
The diagram in the first one, and one of the diagrams in the second one show what you describe. Other diagrams show that it is not universal among morays.

 

[gregorio]

Wow, that is an answer! Thanks a lot Knotical.

 

[knotical]

You’re certainly welcome (divers help divers). Your question piqued my interest. Adding the word “dentition” to my search helped.

I wonder if variations in dentition are along genus lines (Gymnothorax vs. Muraena, etc.)

I’m sure someone here has more knowledge, or a wonderful article on the subject of moray teeth, or scars, and await others’ responses.


edit:
At least in the case of the green moray, age matters:
From: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/GreenMoray/GreenMoray.html
“Dentition
. . . Although the number of tooth rows appears to be a condition correlated with age, in general the following can be said to be true of adults. Towards the front of the upper jaw can be found two rows of teeth although along the rear of the jaw there is only one. Teeth on the roof of the mouth (known as vomerine teeth) of adults are also arranged in two rows. The lower jaw has a single row of teeth.”

 

[drbill]

I just wrote one of my weekly newspaper columns on morays and their dentition (although it is not detailed nor is it scientific). You can read it here:

http://www.starthrower.org/products/DDDB/DDDB_200-249/DDDB_228 moray skull.htm

Dentition in morays differs based on their diet as one factor. Some morays (mainly those that are piscivorous or fish eaters) have the very sharp teeth typically seen in this group of fishies. Others have teeth designed more for crushing.

The third row of teeth, or teeth in the middle of the mouth, seem more appropriate to grasp fish prey.

 

[fast5frog]

How powerful are thier jaws?

 

[rawls]

How powerful are thier jaws?

I saw a video not too long ago of a diver feeding a moray hot dogs...The moray must have mistaken the diver's thumb for a hot dog and proceed to chomp the thumb off. You could even hear the popping sound of the thumb coming off. I would post the link but cannot recall where I saw it. May have been a Youtube video...

 

[Diver Dennis]

I think someone posted that video here. There is a place in Mexico, non-tourist area, where we dive and always bring some fish to feed a couple of the resident Morays. They are extremely strong, especially when wedged into the rocks and can leverage themselves.

No, I don't want to debate the morality of feeding sea creatures...