Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Etymology: Diaphenchelys: Name from Greek 'diaphoros' meaning different and 'enchelys' for eel; referring to the anatomical characteristics and the unusual habitat (mud dweller) preference of the type species; laimospila: Name from Greek words 'laimos' (throat) and 'spilos' (spot), referring to the dense whitish spots on
the throat of this moray; noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Northwest Pacific: Taiwan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 52.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 123899)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 125 - 131. This moderately sized, elongate species is distinguished by the following: tail very long, more than twice its trunk length, compressed posteriorly, tip pointed; snout blunt, nasal cavity somewhat enlarged; eyes well anteriorly placed, closer to tip of snout than corner of mouth; supraorbital pores 3, infraorbital pores 3, preoperculo-mandibular pores 6; maxillary teeth biserial, dentary teeth uniserial or biserial anteriorly. Colouration: ground color of body pale brown, with whitish spots scattered on head, body, and dorsal fin, scarcely perceptible on snout, anal fin and posterior part of tail; caudal fin semi-transparent, fins on posterior part of tail with dark brown margin; vertebrae, predorsal 4, preanal 45, total 125-131. (Ref. 123899).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Huang, W.-C., D.G. Smith, K.-H. Loh and T.-Y. Liao, 2021. Two new moray eels of genera Diaphenchelys and Gymnothorax (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Taiwan and the Philippines. Zool. Stud. 60. (Ref. 123899)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).