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Little moray (Gymnothorax richardsonii) — Muraenidae

Little moray

Gymnothorax richardsonii
Family: Muraenidae
LC · Least Concern

The Little moray (Gymnothorax richardsonii) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 34 cm.

Length
34 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Richardson's moray is a small moray eel (Muraenidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has an eel-shaped, scaleless body with needle-sharp teeth; the dorsal, caudal and anal fins form a continuous fringe and pelvic and pectoral fins are absent. It inhabits shallow lagoons and seaward reefs, where it often shelters under large, loose pieces of dead coral. At night it hunts small fishes and crustaceans. The sharp teeth can give a bite when handled; otherwise the fish is not aggressive.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Little moray?

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

Where does the Little moray live?

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

How big does the Little moray get?

The Little moray grows to a maximum of about 34 cm.

Is the Little moray dangerous to humans?

No, the Little moray is harmless to humans.

Is the Little moray edible?

The Little moray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Richardsons murene sourced
English name
Little moray verified
Scientific name
Gymnothorax richardsonii
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Little moray; Richardson's moray; Spotted-lip moray verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
34.0 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
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
15.0 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
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. 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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