Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Gymnothorax: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, thorax, -akos = breast (Ref. 45335).
Issue
Species Eschmeyer, pers. comm. (also in Paxton et al. 1989, Ref. 7300).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 20 m (Ref. 58302). Tropical; 28°N - 24°S
Pacific Ocean: Caroline and Mariana Islands to the Hawaiian, Line and Tuamoto Islands; throughout Micronesia. Recently reported from the Cocos Islands (Ref. 9399).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 32.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2334)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Inhabits corals and rocks of lagoon and seaward reefs. Mottled moray. Benthic (Ref. 58302, 75154). Possibly a protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 32169). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 86942.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Protogyny unconfirmed (Ref. 84746).
Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p. (Ref. 1602)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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