Gymnothorax undulatus

• Conservation Status
• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Habitat
• Diet
• Behavior
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
• Keep Exploring

Conservation Status

Threats:

Used in Chinese medicine^[1].

Taxonomy

Ambiguous Synonyms:

1. Echidna fascigula (non Peters, 1855)
2. Poecilophis fascigula (non Peters, 1855)

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Lycodontis undulata (Lacepède, 1803)
2. Lycodontis undulatus (Lacepède, 1803)
3. Muraena cancellata Richardson, 1848
4. Muraenophis undulata Lacepède, 1803

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name.

Family: Moray eels.

Physical Description

Family Muraenidae:

Worldwide in tropical and temperate seas. Diverse group of eels with large mouths with numerous teeth; often with fanglike (canine) teeth. Dorsal fin origin usually before the gill openings; median fins confluent with caudal fin; no pelvic and pectoral fins. Gill openings as small roundish lateral openings. Head with 1-3 lateral line pores; absent on body. Scaleless. Recorded maximum length 3.0 m. Some morays cause ciguatera fish poisoning. A skin toxin was noted in an Indo-Pacific moray eel. Adults benthic, generally in shallow water among rocks and coral heads; many species are more active at night and hide in holes and crevices during the day. Vicious reputation is undeserved, although some species will bite if provoked. Feed mainly on crustaceans, cephalopods and small fishes. Larvae (leptocephali) epipelagic, widespread and abundant. Widely used as food, but a few large species may be ciguatoxic. Generally hardy in captivity.

The family Muraenidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Anguilliformes. It contains 15 genera and 200 species. It may be found in Marine, Brackish, and Freshwater environments and is primarily Marine. Some members of this family are used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is anguilliform. Members of this family have been dated back to the Miocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name: Latin, muraena = morey eel

Images:

Distribution

Aquatic Regions

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa, including Walters Shoal^[2] to French Polynesia, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef; throughout Micronesia. Eastern Central Pacific: Costa Rica and Panama^[3].

Range and Population

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa, including Walters Shoal^[4] to French Polynesia, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef. Eastern Central Pacific: Costa Rica and Panama^[5].

Habitat

A common species on reef flats among rocks, rubble, or debris and also occurs in lagoons and seaward reefs to depths of 26 m or more. Cavernicolous^[6].

Biome

Saltwater. Reef-associated.

Diet

Nocturnal species that feeds on fishes, octopi, and probably crustaceans.

Behavior

Reported to be an aggressive species and prone to bite.

Similar Species

Members of the genus Gymnothorax:

There are approximately 222 species and subspecies in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: G. rueppellii · G. afer (Dark Moray) · G. albimarginatus (White-Edged Moray) · G. amblyodon · G. angusticauda · G. angusticaudus · G. angusticeps · G. annasona · G. annulatus · G. atolli (Atoll Moray) · G. australicola · G. austrinus (Southern Moray) · G. bacalladoi · G. bathyphilus · G. berndti (Berndt's Moray Eel) · G. bredeni · G. breedeni (Black Cheek Moray) · G. buraensis · G. buroensis (Buro Moray) · G. callorhyncha · G. castaneus (Chestnut Moray) · G. castlei · G. catenata · G. cephalospilus (Head-Spot Moray) · G. chalazius · G. chilospilos · G. chilospilus (Lipspot Moray) · G. chlamydatus (Banded Mud Moray) · G. cinerascens · G. conger · G. conspersus (Saddled Moray) · G. consperus · G. criboris · G. cribroris (Brown-Flecked Reef Eel) · G. crirorbis · G. curvicornis · G. detactus · G. diagonalis · G. dorsalis · G. dovi · G. dovii (Finespotted Moray) · G. efatensis · G. elegans (Elegant Moray) · G. enigmaticus (Banded Moray) · G. equatorialis (Spottail Moray) · G. ercodes · G. eurosta · G. eurostus (Abbott's Eel) · G. eurygnathos · G. faraginea · G. favaginea · G. favagineus (Black-Blotched Moray) · G. favagineus isingteenus · G. fimbratus · G. fimbriatus (Dark Spotted Moray) · G. fimbriatus undulatus · G. flavimarginata · G. flavimarginatus (Leopard Moray) · G. flavimarginatus annasona · G. flavocula · G. flavoculus (Palenose Moray) · G. flavomarginata · G. formosus · G. funabris · G. funebris (Black Moray) · G. funebus · G. fuscoguttatus · G. fuscomaculatus (Brown Spotted Moray) · G. galatae · G. gilberti · G. gracilicauda (Graceful-Tailed Moray) · G. gracilicaudis · G. gracillicauda · G. grisea · G. griseus (Geometric Moray) · G. G. · G. hansi · G. helena · G. hepatica · G. hepaticus (Liver-Colored Moray Eel) · G. herrei · G. hilonis (Anchialine Muraenid Eel) · G. hubbsi (Lichen Moray) · G. huroensis · G. infernalis · G. infunalis · G. intesi · G. isingleena · G. isingteena (Spotted Moray) · G. javanica · G. javanicus (Blackpearl Moray) · G. johnsoni (Whitespotted Moray) · G. johnstoni · G. kidako (Kikado Moray) · G. kolpos (Blacktail Moray) · G. kontodontos · G. leucacme · G. leucaeme · G. leucostictus · G. longinquus

Bibliography

• Allen, G.R. and W.F. Smith-Vaniz (1994). Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. 412:21 p.
• Böhlke, E. B., J. E. McCosker, and D. G. Smith / Carpenter, Kent E., and Volker H. Niem, eds. 1999. Muraenidae: Morays. FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes: The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific, vol. 3: Batoid fishes, chimaeras and Bony fishes, part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy. 1643-1657. ISBN: 92-5-104302-7.
• Castle, P.H.J. and J.E. McCosker (1986). Muraenidae. p. 165-176. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
• Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen (1994). A review of the muraenid eels (Family Muraenidae) from Taiwan with descriptions of twelve new records. Zool. Stud. 33(1):44-64.
• Eschmeyer, William N., ed. 1998. Catalog of Fishes. Special Publication of the Center for Biodiversity Research and Information, no. 1, vol 1-3. California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco, California, USA. 2905. ISBN: 0-940228-47-5.
• Fischer, W., I. Sousa, C. Silva, A. de Freitas, J.M. Poutiers, W. Schneider, T.C. Borges, J.P. Feral and A. Massinga (1990). Fichas FAO de identificaçao de espécies para actividades de pesca. Guia de campo das espécies comerciais marinhas e de águas salob
• Fricke, R. (1999). Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez): an annotated checklist, with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Theses Zoologicae, Vol. 31: 759 p.
• Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell (1990). A colour atlas of dangerous marine animals. Wolfe Medical Publications Ltd, W.S. Cowell Ltd, Ipswich, England. 192 p.
• Herre, A.W.C.T. (1953). Check list of Philippine fishes. Res. Rep. U.S. Fish Wild. Serv., (20):977 p.
• Kailola, P.J. (1987). The fishes of Papua New Guinea. A revised and annotated checklist. Vol. 1. Myxinidae to Synbranchidae. Research Bulletin No. 41. Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 194 p.
• Kapoor, D., R. Dayal and A.G. Ponniah (2002). Fish biodiversity of India. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources Lucknow, India.775 p.
• Kuronuma, K. (1961). A check list of fishes of Vietnam. United States Consultants, Inc.; International Cooperation Administration Contract - IV-153. Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, United States Operations Mission to Vietnam. 66 p.
• Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno and T. Yoshino (1984). The fishes of the Japanese Archipelago. Vol. 1 (text). Tokai University Press, Tokyo, Japan. 437 p. (text), 370 pls.
• McCormack, G. (2000). Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage database. Sent by Gerald McCormack as RTF document in May 2000 for use in FishBase.
• McCosker, J.E. and R.H. Rosenblatt (1995). Muraenidae. Morenas. p. 1303-1315. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Orien
• Myers, R.F. (1991). Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
• Myers, R.F. (1999). Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia, 3rd revised and expanded edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 330 p.
• Ni, I-H and K-Y Kwok (1999). Marine fish fauna in Hong Kong waters. Zool. Stud. 38(2):130-152.
• Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E. Hanley (1989). Pisces. Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Vol. 7. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 665 p.
• Randall, J.E. (1995). Coastal fishes of Oman. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 439 p.
• Randall, J.E. (1997). Randall's underwater photos. Collection of over 2,000 underwater photos (slides). Unpublished.
• Randall, J.E. and C. Anderson (1993). Annotated checklist of the epipelagic and shore fishes of the Maldives Islands. Ichthyol. Bull. of the J.L.B. Smith Inst. of Ichthyol. 59:47.
• Randall, J.E. and Y.H. Sinoto (1978). Rapan fish names. B.P. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 24(15:294-306.
• Randall, J.E., H. Ida, K. Kato, R.L. Pyle and J.L. Earle (1997). Annotated checklist of inshore fishes of the Ogasawara Islands. Nat. Sci. Mus. Monogr. (11):1-74.
• Shiino, Sueo M. 1976. List of Common Names of Fishes of the World, Those Prevailing among English-speaking Nations. Science Report of Shima Marineland, no. 4. Shima Marineland. Kashikojima, Shima, Mie, Japan. 262.
• Smith, J.L.B. and M.M. Smith (1963). The fishes of Seychelles. Rhodes University, Grahamstown. 215 p.
• Sommer, C., W. Schneider and J.-M. Poutiers (1996). FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of Somalia. FAO, Rome. 376 p.
• Thollot, P. (1996). Les poissons de mangrove du lagon sud-ouest de Nouvelle-Calédonie. ORSTOM Éditions, Paris.
• Tinker, S.W. (1978). Fishes of Hawaii, a handbook of the marine fishes of Hawaii and the Central Pacific Ocean. Hawaiian Service Inc., Honolulu. 568 p.
• Wass, R. C. (1984). An annotated checklist of the fishes of Samoa. Natl. Ocean. Atmos. Adminis. Tech. Rept., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rept. Fish. (781).
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Notes

Contributors:

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 20, 2007.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 01, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 8 providers.
• Heemstra, Phillip C. (from FishBase).

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 01, 2008:

• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum: Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
• FishBase: FishBase DiGIR Provider - Philippine Server
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: AIMS - Baited Remote Underwater Video Station (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: Bishop Museum Data (OBIS distribution) (USOBIS)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: iziko South African Museum - Fish Collection
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: SeamountsOnline (seamount biota)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity - Fish Collection (AfrOBIS)
• Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History: Vertebrate specimens
• Museum national d'histoire naturelle: Ichtyologie
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Fish Collection
• OZCAM (Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums) Provider: Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum: Fish specimens

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 161215
• Fishbase Species ID: 4905
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 103204
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 111970

Footnotes:

1. Tang, W.-C. (1987). Chinese medicinal materials from the sea. Abstracts of Chinese Medicine 1(4):571-600.
2. Fricke, R. (1999). Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez): an annotated checklist, with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Theses Zoologicae, Vol. 31: 759 p.
3. McCosker, J.E. and R.H. Rosenblatt (1995). Muraenidae. Morenas. p. 1303-1315. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Orien
4. Fricke, R. (1999). Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez): an annotated checklist, with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Theses Zoologicae, Vol. 31: 759 p.
5. McCosker, J.E. and R.H. Rosenblatt (1995). Muraenidae. Morenas. p. 1303-1315. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Orien
6. Ali, M.A. and H.-J. Wagner (1975). Visual pigments: phylogeny and ecology. p. 481-516. In A.A. Ali (ed.) Vision in fishes. New approaches to research. Plenum Press, New York.