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Bikini moray (Enchelycore bikiniensis) — Muraenidae

Bikini moray

Enchelycore bikiniensis
Family: Muraenidae

The Bikini moray (Enchelycore bikiniensis) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 60 cm.

Length
60 cm
Water
Saltwater
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
May bite
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The Bikini moray is a moray (Muraenidae) from reef and rocky water of the central Pacific, including the Marshall Islands. The species grows to about 50 cm and has a slender, eel-like, scaleless body with curved jaws that do not fully close and long, needle-sharp teeth. As a nocturnal predator it shelters by day with only its head out of a crevice and hunts small fish and crustaceans at night. It does not attack people, but can bite fiercely when threatened or handled.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bikini moray?

The Bikini moray has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Bikini moray live?

The Bikini moray lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bikini moray get?

The Bikini moray grows to a maximum of about 60 cm.

Is the Bikini moray dangerous to humans?

The Bikini moray can bite, but is otherwise not dangerous to humans.

Is the Bikini moray edible?

The Bikini moray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bikini-murene sourced
English name
Bikini moray sourced
Scientific name
Enchelycore bikiniensis
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Bikini atoll moray; Bikini moray verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
60.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
May bite verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Enchelycore

More from the family Muraenidae

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