Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Gymnothorax: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, thorax, -akos = breast (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 30573). Tropical; 30°N - 25°S

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710); max. published weight: 30.0 kg (Ref. 30404)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Vertebrae: 137 - 143. Juveniles are tan with numerous large black spots. Adults have black specks that grade into leopard-like spots behind the head and a black area surrounding the gill opening.

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa (Ref. 33390) to the Marquesas and Oeno Atoll (Pitcairn Group), north to the Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands, south to New Caledonia and the Austral Islands.

Found in lagoon and seaward reefs. Commonly seen species along deep drop-offs and slopes in Indonesian waters (Ref. 48635). Benthic (Ref. 58302). Juveniles more secretive and occur on intertidal reef flats (Ref. 37816). It feeds primarily on fishes and occasionally on crustaceans. This is the largest Indo-Pacific moray eel (Ref. 30404), perhaps reaching 3 m in length. Because of its position at the top of the reef's food chain it is often ciguatoxic. Attacks humans when provoked (Ref. 3132). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 10713. Solitary in reef holes (Ref 90102).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen, 1994. A review of the muraenid eels (Family Muraenidae) from Taiwan with descriptions of twelve new records. Zool. Stud. 33(1):44-64.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 4690)

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: public aquariums

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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00000 (0.00000 - 0.00000), b=0.00000 (0.00000 - 0.00000), based on (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.9 ±0.64 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): .

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (76 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker, 1859)