Difference between revisions of "Moray eel"
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JamesCrook (talk | contribs) (Add text about jaws from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moray_eel) |
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[[Image:PC040789_Moray.JPG|800px]] | [[Image:PC040789_Moray.JPG|800px]] | ||
| − | ''' | + | '''Moray eel'''s are a diverse group of eels, the one shown here found in the Red Sea. |
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| + | ==Pharyngeal Jaws== | ||
| + | [[File:Pharyngeal jaws of moray eels.svg|thumb|right|270px|Moray eel jaw anatomy|alt=Two diagrams of head and spine, one showing the pharyngeal jaw at rest; the other showing the jaws extended into the mouth]] | ||
| + | The pharyngeal jaws of morays are located farther back in the head and closely resemble the oral jaws (complete with tiny "teeth"). When feeding, morays launch these jaws into the mouth cavity, where they grasp prey and transport it into the throat. Moray eels are the only known animals that use pharyngeal jaws to actively capture and restrain prey in this way.<ref name="Mehta2007">{{cite journal | vauthors = Mehta RS, Wainwright PC | title = Raptorial jaws in the throat help moray eels swallow large prey | journal = Nature | volume = 449 | issue = 7158 | pages = 79–82 | date = September 2007 | pmid = 17805293 | doi = 10.1038/nature06062 | bibcode = 2007Natur.449...79M | s2cid = 4384411 | authorlink = Rita Mehtal }}</ref><ref name="Nature20070905">{{cite journal|url=http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070903/full/070903-11.html|title=Eels imitate alien: Fearsome fish have protruding jaws in their throats to grab prey.|last=Hopkin|first=Michael|authorlink=Michael Hopkin|date=2007-09-05|journal=Nature News|doi=10.1038/news070903-11|s2cid=85118599|access-date=2007-09-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109985&org=NSF|title=Moray Eels Are Uniquely Equipped to Pack Big Prey Into Their Narrow Bodies - NSF - National Science Foundation|publisher=|access-date=11 December 2016}}</ref> | ||
Revision as of 14:12, 3 September 2020
Moray eels are a diverse group of eels, the one shown here found in the Red Sea.
Pharyngeal Jaws
The pharyngeal jaws of morays are located farther back in the head and closely resemble the oral jaws (complete with tiny "teeth"). When feeding, morays launch these jaws into the mouth cavity, where they grasp prey and transport it into the throat. Moray eels are the only known animals that use pharyngeal jaws to actively capture and restrain prey in this way.[1][2][3]
