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Spottail moray (Gymnothorax equatorialis) — Muraenidae

Spottail moray

Gymnothorax equatorialis
Family: Muraenidae
LC · Least Concern

The Spottail moray (Gymnothorax equatorialis) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 82 cm.

Length
81.7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
22.0–125.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The equatorial moray is a moray eel (Muraenidae) from the eastern Pacific. The species has an eel-shaped, scaleless body with a large mouth full of sharp teeth; the dorsal, caudal and anal fins are fused into a continuous fringe and pelvic and pectoral fins are absent. It is bottom-living on sand and mud bottoms of coastal waters, where it shelters in holes by day and hunts fishes and crustaceans at night. The sharp teeth can give a serious bite when handled; otherwise the fish is not aggressive.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spottail moray?

The Spottail moray has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Spottail moray live?

The Spottail moray lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Spottail moray get?

The Spottail moray grows to a maximum of about 82 cm.

Is the Spottail moray dangerous to humans?

No, the Spottail moray is harmless to humans.

Is the Spottail moray edible?

The Spottail moray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Equatoriale murene sourced
English name
Spottail moray verified
Scientific name
Gymnothorax equatorialis
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Spotted-tail moray verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
81.7 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
22.0 verified
Max depth (m)
125.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

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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