Spotted moray | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anguilliformes |
Family: | Muraenidae |
Genus: | Gymnothorax |
Species: | G. moringa |
Binomial name | |
Gymnothorax moringa Cuvier, 1829 | |
The spotted moray (Gymnothorax moringa) is a medium to large moray eel. Other common names include conger, spotted eel, red moray, speckled moray, white cong, white jawed moray, white-chinned moray and white-jawed moray eel. Spotted eels have a long snake-like body, white or pale yellow in overall color with small overlapping reddish brown to dark-brown spots. They are commonly 60 cm (24 in) in length and can grow to 2 m (6.6 ft), and weigh 2.51 kg (5.5 lb). [2] [3] They inhabit the Western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. They are also found around the Mid- and Eastern Atlantic islands as far south as St Helena. They are typically found anywhere from the surface to a depth of 200 m (660 ft).
Spotted morays are solitary animals, and usually hide in narrow crevices and holes in reef structures with only their heads peeking out. They are active during the day, feeding on crustaceans, molluscs [4] and fish at or near the sea bottom. Their bite can be dangerous to humans due to damage caused by the pull-back effect of the bite itself, and potential toxins that may be released into the wound. [5] [6] There is a minor fishery for spotted eels, and they are also kept in aquariums until their size makes it impractical to do so.
Moray eels, or Muraenidae, are a family of eels whose members are found worldwide. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera which are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and a few are found in fresh water.
Gymnothorax is a genus of fish in the family Muraenidae found in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. With more than 120 species, it the most speciose genus of moray eels.
The Kidako moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. It inhabits coral reefs or lagoons and could be found in tropical and subtropical seas near Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. The species is diurnal, which means it is more active in the daytime than the nighttime. It is also piscivorous: it consumes fish, octopus, and squid. Other than the Kidako moray, there are about 200 species of moray eels in the Muraenidae family. The Kidako moray would not attack humans unless they are provoked. However, due to the menacing looks of the Kidako moray and moray eels in general, they are feared by divers and snorkelers.
The California moray is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the eastern Pacific from just north of Santa Barbara to Santa Maria Bay in Baja California. They are the only species of moray eel found off California, and one of the few examples of a subtropical moray. They typically occupy boulder or cobble habitats up to 40 m in depth. They can attain lengths of about 5 ft (1.52 m) and are believed to live for upwards of 22–26 years. Like other morays, they have no pelvic or pectoral fins or gill covers.
The yellow-edged moray, also known as yellow-margin(ed) moray, leopard moray, and speckled moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific Oceans at depths to 150 m (500 ft).
The snowflake moray, also known as the clouded moray among many vernacular names, is a species of marine eel of the family Muraenidae. It has blunt teeth ideal for its diet of crustaceans, a trait it shares with the zebra moray.
The fimbriated moray, also known as dark-spotted moray or spot-face moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae.
The giant moray is a species of moray eel and a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. In terms of body mass, it is the largest moray eel; however, the slender giant moray is the largest in terms of body length.
The Mediterranean moray is a fish of the moray eel family. It has a long eel-like body and is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Its bite can be dangerous to humans.
The ocellated moray is a species of moray eel from the Western Atlantic. It occasionally is found in the aquarium trade. It grows to 60 cm in length.
Gymnothorax miliaris, the goldentail moray, bastard eel, or conger moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.
Gymnothorax pictus, the painted moray, paintspotted moray or peppered moray, is a moray eel. The Chamorro name of the eel is títugi.
Channomuraena vittata is a rare species of moray eel from the Anguiliformes order found in reefs. It is commonly known as the broadbanded moray, banded moray, Chinese moray, double-ended moray, or the long-jawed moray.
The brown-spotted moray is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Schultz in 1953 and is also commonly known as the freckled moray.
The spotjaw moray is a moray eel found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It was first named by Max Poll in 1953.
Gymnothorax ocellatus is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the western Atlantic Ocean. It was first named by Louis Agassiz in 1831, and is also commonly known as the blackedge moray, Caribbean ocellated moray, conger, ocellated moray, spotted moray, sawtooth moray, white-spotted moray, or yellow cong.
Gymnothorax polyuranodon, commonly known as the freshwater moray, is a species of moray eel that is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the northern coastline of Australia, and various islands in the western Pacific. Other common names include the many-toothed moray, spotted freshwater moray, blackspotted moray, freshwater leopard moray, and tiger freshwater moray.
Gymnothorax rueppelliae, the banded moray, banded reef-eel, Rüppell's moray, Rüppell's moray eel, black barred eel, yellow-headed moray eel or yellow-headed moray, is a moray eel found in tropical coral reefs. Gymnothorax rueppelliae is a pale grey to greyish-brown moray with 16-21 dark bars on the body, a bright yellow head and a dark spot at the corner of the mouth. They differ from the Gymnothorax pikei, a close relative that lives Papua New Guinea. They have fewer vomerine teeth. They also reach a maximum length of 80 cm.
The Indian mud moray eel, is a moray eel found in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was first named by Hamilton in 1822, and is also commonly known as the freshwater moray or freshwater snowflake eel.
The brown moray eel, Gymnothorax unicolor, is a moray eel found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean. It was first named by Delaroche in 1809.