WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Fimbriated Moray

Gymnothorax fimbriatus

Also known as: Dark-spotted Moray, Dark-spotted Moray Eel, Fimbriated Moray Eel, Spotface Moray, Spot-faced Moray Eel, Yellowhead Moray Eel

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2019
Adult
@fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 19
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Overview

Found singly, pairs, or with other morays, hiding in crevices and holes, amongst debris, rock, and rubble, in caves and around harbours, of protected inshore waters.

Morays open and close their mouths to move water through their gills for respiration.
This behaviour can often be seen as a threat especially towards divers, in fact this is far from the truth, they are very shy creatures and will only attack if provoked!

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 19
LIVES IN

Found singly, pairs, or with other morays, hiding in crevices and holes, amongst debris, rock, and rubble, in caves and around harbours, of protected inshore waters.

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Adult photos 19

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Discussion 3

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

3 comments

  • fishx6Top Contributor· 11 Mar 2008

    They are pussycats really as long as you don't leave your fingers around for them to nibble as I found out to my cost!!!

    Helpful
  • scubasteve· 3 Mar 2008

    These are hideous!! Whenever I see one of these swimming (which isn't often) I just freak out! They're like giant snakes!! Plenty of them in the maldives, had to go to 16m to see one in it's hole.

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderAnguilliformes
  5. familyMuraenidae
  6. genusGymnothorax
  7. speciesGymnothorax fimbriatus (Bennett, 1832)

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

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More in the family

Moray Eels (Muraenidae)