Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Gymnothorax: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, thorax, -akos = breast (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Richardson.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 86942), usually 0 - 4 m (Ref. 90102). Tropical; 36°N - 33°S, 70°E - 130°W
Indo-Pacific: Christmas Island to French Polynesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to Tonga; throughout Micronesia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 73.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 121652); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2334); max. published weight: 568.30 g (Ref. 121652)
Vertebrae: 125 - 137. Vomerine teeth are biserial and diverging anteriorly with the posterior most 3 to 4 teeth forming a single row (Ref. 37816).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Fairly common inhabitant of reef flats where it is usually encountered in shallow tidal pools. Feeds on crustaceans, small fishes and octopi (Ref. 89972). Often in shipwrecks; usually in pairs or small aggregations, and shares habitat with other morays (Ref. 48635). Also common in sheltered reefs (Ref 90102).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Simultaneous hermaphroditism not confirmed (Ref. 84746).
Böhlke, E.B., J.E. McCosker and D.G. Smith, 1999. Muraenidae. p. 1643-1657. In K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. (Ref. 12904)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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