Barred-fin moray
At Bunaken, North Sulawesi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Genus: Gymnothorax
Species:
G. zonipectis
Binomial name
Gymnothorax zonipectis
Seale, 1906

The barred-fin moray or bar-tail moray[1] (Gymnothorax zonipectis) is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

Description

The barred-fin moray is a medium-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 50 cm, but the ones usually observed are about 30 cm.[2][3] It is serpentine in shape, its body has a light brown color and it is covered with a mix of darker spots and broken and irregular dark brown lines. A relatively large whitish spot is located below the back corner of the eye.

Distribution & habitat

The barred-fin moray is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific area from the eastern coast of Africa to Polynesia and Hawaii, and also from Taiwan to New Caledonia.

This moray eel likes shallow and detrital waters from lagoons and external reef slopes up to 132 feet (40 meters).[4][5]

Biology

The barred-fin moray is a carnivore, solitary, secretive and benthic animal. During daytime, it sits in a shelter where it lives often invisible and at night, it goes out to actively hunt prey, consisting of small fishes.

References

  1. ↑ Common names for Gymnothorax zonipectis at www.fishbase.org.
  2. ↑ Kuiter, R.H. and T. Tonozuka, 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 p.
  3. ↑ Kuiter, R.H., 1998. Photo guide to fishes of the Maldives. Atoll Editions, Victoria, Australia. 257 p.
  4. ↑ Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
  5. ↑ Mundy, B.C., 2005. Checklist of the fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bishop Museum Bulletins in Zoology. Bishop Mus. Bull. Zool. (6):1-704.
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