The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T195680A2401242
Echidna catenata, Chain Moray
Assessment by: Smith, D.G. & McCosker, J.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Smith, D.G. & McCosker, J. 2015. Echidna catenata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 2015: e.T195680A2401242. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20152.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Anguilliformes
Muraenidae
Taxon Name: Echidna catenata Bloch, 1795
Synonym(s):
• Echidna flavofasciata
• Echidna fuscomaculata
• Gymnothorax catenatus
• Muraena alusis
• Muraena sordida
• Muraenophis catenula
• Muraenophis zebra
Common Name(s):
• English:
• French:
• Spanish:
Chain Moray, Chain Moray Eel, Little Banded Eel
Murène Enchainée
Morena, Morena Cadena, Morena Cadeneta, Morena De Cadena, Morena Jaspeada
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:
2015
Date Assessed:
August 16, 2011
Justification:
This species is widely distributed, common and moderately abundant where it occurs over shallow reef
habitat. There are no known major threats, therefore, it is listed as Least Concern.
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is distributed in the western Atlantic from Bermuda, the Bahamas, Key Biscayne, Florida
into the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Keys north to Bradenton, Florida, along Mexico from Tuxpan
and Veracruz, and northwestern Cuba, throughout the Caribbean Sea, and along South America to
southern Brazil including the Fernando de Noronha and Trindade Islands (Gasparini and Floeter 2001, R.
Robertson pers. comm. 2014). In the eastern Atlantic it is known from Ascension Island (Lubbock 1980).
Its depth range is zero to 15 m.
Country Occurrence:
Native: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; Bonaire, Sint
Eustatius and Saba; Brazil; Cayman Islands; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Curaçao; Dominica; Dominican
Republic; French Guiana; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guatemala; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Jamaica;
Martinique; Mexico; Montserrat; Nicaragua; Panama; Puerto Rico; Saint Barthélemy; Saint Helena,
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
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Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin (French part); Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Maarten (Dutch part); Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and
Caicos Islands; United States; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Virgin Islands, British; Virgin Islands, U.S.
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
Native: Atlantic - southeast, Atlantic - southwest, Atlantic - western central
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
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Distribution Map
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
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Population
There are numerous records of this species collected in moderate quantities, which indicates it is
common and moderately abundant.
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
This demersal species is found dwelling in solitary among coral reef or along rocky shores and in sand
(Claro 1994). It is also found in tide pools (D. Smith pers. comm. 2011). It exhibits the complex and
rotational feeding pattern known as knotting in order to manipulate and consume their prey (Mayden et
al. 1987). It feeds on small fishes and crustaceans, including crabs (Bohlke and Chaplin 1993). It can
withstand a lack of water for up to 30 minutes while hunting for prey.
Systems: Marine
Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)
This species is occasionally locally caught and used for food. It is, however, more popularly sold in the in
the aquarium trade for less than $60. It is mostly considered uncommon in the aquarium trade.
Threats
There are no known major threats.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
There are no species-specific conservation measures.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Smith, D.G. & McCosker, J.
Reviewer(s):
Cox, N.A.
Facilitators(s) and
Compiler(s):
Harwell, H. & Hines, A.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
4
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Citation
Smith, D.G. & McCosker, J. 2015. Echidna catenata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015:
e.T195680A2401242. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
7
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
9. Marine Neritic -> 9.2. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs
Resident
Suitable
Yes
9. Marine Neritic -> 9.4. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy
Resident
Suitable
Yes
12. Marine Intertidal -> 12.6. Marine Intertidal - Tidepools
Resident
Suitable
Yes
Use and Trade
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
End Use
Local
National
International
Food - human
Yes
No
No
Pets/display animals, horticulture
Yes
Yes
Yes
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Conservation sites identified: No
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
Additional Data Fields
Distribution
Lower depth limit (m): 20
Upper depth limit (m): 0
Population
Population severely fragmented: No
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Echidna catenata – published in 2015.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T195680A2401242.en
8
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™