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Brown moray (Uropterygius concolor) — Muraenidae

Brown moray

Uropterygius concolor
Family: Muraenidae
LC · Least Concern

The Brown moray (Uropterygius concolor) is a brackish-water fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 50 cm.

Length
50 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0.0–10.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The unicolor moray is a moray (Muraenidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has an elongate, almost uniformly brown body with greatly reduced fins and a tail ending in a hard point. It lives in mangrove swamps, brackish rivers and shallow coral reefs to at least eight metres depth, tucked into crevices and cavities. As a nocturnal ambush hunter it takes small fishes and crustaceans. It is not venomous, but can bite with its sharp teeth.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brown moray?

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

Where does the Brown moray live?

The Brown moray lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Brown moray get?

The Brown moray grows to a maximum of about 50 cm.

Is the Brown moray dangerous to humans?

No, the Brown moray is harmless to humans.

Is the Brown moray edible?

The Brown moray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Effen murene sourced
English name
Brown moray verified
Scientific name
Uropterygius concolor
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Brown moray; Brown moray eel; Brown reef-eel; Unicolor snake moray verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
50.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Rounded 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
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
10.0 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 Uropterygius

More from the family Muraenidae

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