Zebra moray

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Zebra moray
Gymnomuraena zebra by NPS.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Subfamily: Muraeninae
Genus: Gymnomuraena
Lacépède, 1803
Species:
G. zebra
Binomial name
Gymnomuraena zebra
(G. Shaw, 1797)
Synonyms

Echidna zebra

The zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra) is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. It is the only member of the genus Gymnomuraena, though it sometimes has been included in Echidna instead.

Contents

Description

The zebra moray is considered as a medium-sized fish even if it can reach a maximum length of 150 cm. However, the average size commonly observed is more of the order of 50 cm. [2] It is densely banded dark and whitish, giving rise to its common name. [3] Its snout is round and short.

Distribution and habitat

The zebra moray is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific area from eastern coast of Africa until western coast of the Americas, including the Red Sea, Hawaii and Galápagos. [4] [5]

The zebra moray is a benthic fish, its favorite habitat corresponds to the rocky or coral reef on coastal shallow water up to 40 meters deep. [6]

Biology

Gymnomuraena zebra has a nocturnal activity and actively hunt its prey. Unlike most other moray eels, it feeds exclusively on crustaceans, sea urchins and mollusks. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moray eel</span> Family of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ribbon eel</span> Species of fish

The ribbon eel, also known as the leaf-nosed moray eel or bernis eel, is a species of moray eel, the only member of the genus Rhinomuraena. What is now known as R. quaesita also includes the former R. amboinensis. R. quaesita was used for blue ribbon eels and R. amboinensis for black ribbon eels, but these are now recognized as the same species. The ribbon eel is found in lagoons and reefs in the Indo-Pacific ocean, ranging from East Africa to southern Japan, Australia and French Polynesia. This species is widely distributed and is frequently seen by divers in Indonesian waters with their heads and anterior bodies protruding from crevices in sand and rubble habitats from very shallow to about 60 m. Although generally placed in the moray eel family Muraenidae, it has several distinctive features leading some to place it in its own family, Rhinomuraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laced moray</span> Species of fish

The laced moray, also known as the leopard moray, leopard moray eel, tessellate moray or honeycomb moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kidako moray</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopard moray eel</span> Species of fish

The leopard moray eel, tiger moray eel or dragon moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-edged moray</span> Species of fish

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barred moray</span> Species of fish

The barred moray, also known as the banded moray, the dark-banded eel, the girdled moray, the girdled reef eel, the many banded moray eel, the ringed moray, the ringed reef moray, the striped moray and the zebra eel,) is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae. It was described by John Richardson in 1845, originally under the genus Muraena. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesan Islands, the Tuamotus Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. It dwells at a depth range of 2 to 20 metres, and leads a benthic lifestyle in reefs and shallow lagoons. Males can reach a maximum total length of 72.3 centimetres (28.5 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowflake moray</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geometric moray</span> Species of fish

The geometric moray is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae found throughout the western Indian Ocean at depths to 40 m. Its length is up to 65 cm. It is parasitized by Ichthyoxenus puhi, a species of isopod.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey moray</span> Species of fish

The turkey moray ,also known as the guineafowl moray or as the white-mouth/whitemouth moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fimbriated moray</span> Species of fish

The fimbriated moray, also known as dark-spotted moray or spot-face moray, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae.

<i>Gorgasia preclara</i> Species of fish

Gorgasia preclara, the splendid garden eel or orange-barred garden eel, is a species of marine garden eel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant moray</span> Species of fish

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.

<i>Gymnothorax miliaris</i> Species of fish

Gymnothorax miliaris, the goldentail moray, bastard eel, or conger moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<i>Gymnothorax nudivomer</i> Species of fish

Gymnothorax nudivomer, the starry moray or yellowmouth moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

Scuticaria okinawae is a moray eel found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the shorttailed snake moray, shorttail moray, Seale's moray eel, or the Bennett's moray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitemargin moray eel</span> Species of fish

The whitemargin moray or the white-edged moray, Gymnothorax albimarginatus, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackcheek moray eel</span> Species of fish

The blackcheek moray eel or masked moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barred-fin moray</span> Species of fish

The barred-fin moray or bar-tail moray is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roving coral grouper</span> Species of fish

The roving coral grouper, also known as the spotted coral grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific, although the Red Sea taxon, P. marisrubri, is regarded as a separate species by some authorities.

References

  1. Smith, D.G.; McCosker, J.; Tighe, K. (2019). "Gymnomuraena zebra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T195700A2404907. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T195700A2404907.en .
  2. Myers, R. F., 1991. Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 pp.
  3. Sommer, C., W. Schneider and J.-M. Poutiers, 1996. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of Somalia. FAO, Rome. 376 pp.
  4. Fricke, R., 1999. Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez): an annotated checklist, with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Theses Zoologicae, Vol. 31:759 p.
  5. McCosker, J. E. and R. H. Rosenblatt, 1995. Muraenidae. Morenas. pp. 1303–1315. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K. E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 vols. FAO, Rome.
  6. Mundy, B. C., 2005. Checklist of the fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bishop Museum Bulletins in Zoology. Bishop Mus. Bull. Zool. (6):1–704.
  7. Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, 400 pp.
  8. Kuiter, R. H. and T. Tonozuka, 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae – Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 pp.