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Berndt's moray (Gymnothorax berndti) — Muraenidae

Berndt's moray

Gymnothorax berndti
Family: Muraenidae
LC · Least Concern

The Berndt's moray (Gymnothorax berndti) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
30.0–303.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
May bite
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Berndt's moray is a large moray eel from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 100 cm and has a snake-like, scaleless body with a yellowish-brown colour and dark blotches around the gill opening. As a nocturnal reef predator it shelters by day in crevices of rocky reefs and steep slopes and hunts fish and crustaceans at night. It is not aggressive, but can bite hard with sharp teeth if disturbed. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Berndt's moray?

The Berndt's moray has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Berndt's moray live?

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

How big does the Berndt's moray get?

The Berndt's moray grows to a maximum of about 100 cm.

Is the Berndt's moray dangerous to humans?

The Berndt's moray can bite, but is otherwise not dangerous to humans.

Is the Berndt's moray edible?

The Berndt's moray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Berndts murene verified
English name
Berndt's moray verified
Scientific name
Gymnothorax berndti
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Berndt's moray eel; Y-patterned moray verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
30.0 verified
Max depth (m)
303.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
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 Gymnothorax

More from the family Muraenidae

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