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Maree's moray (Gymnothorax mareei) — Muraenidae

Maree's moray

Gymnothorax mareei
Family: Muraenidae

The Maree's moray (Gymnothorax mareei) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
15.0–25.0 m
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
May bite
Range
Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Congo Dem Rp, Benin, Eq Guinea and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Maree's moray is a moray (Muraenidae) from reef and rocky water of the western Indian Ocean. The species grows to about 50 cm and has a slender, eel-like, scaleless body without pectoral fins and a mouth with sharp teeth; the skin is often spotted or marbled. As a nocturnal predator it shelters by day with only its head out of a crevice and hunts small fish, crustaceans and squid at night. It does not attack people, but can bite fiercely when threatened or handled.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Maree's moray?

The Maree's moray has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern. Can bite with sharp teeth or powerful jaws; handle with care.

Where does the Maree's moray live?

The Maree's moray lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Congo Dem Rp, Benin, Eq Guinea and others

How big does the Maree's moray get?

The Maree's moray grows to a maximum of about 40 cm.

Is the Maree's moray dangerous to humans?

The Maree's moray can bite, but is otherwise not dangerous to humans. For a bite: rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water, stop the bleeding with pressure and cover with a sterile dressing. A moray bite is ragged and easily becomes infected; clean it carefully and for a deep or extensive wound see a doctor and check tetanus protection.

Is the Maree's moray edible?

Yes, the Maree's moray is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

English name
Maree's moray sourced
Scientific name
Gymnothorax mareei
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Spotjaw moray sourced

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
15.0 verified
Max depth (m)
25.0 verified
Natural range
Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Congo Dem Rp, Benin, Eq Guinea and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred
Special features
Can bite with sharp teeth or powerful jaws; handle with care. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
May bite verified
First aid
For a bite: rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water, stop the bleeding with pressure and cover with a sterile dressing. A moray bite is ragged and easily becomes infected; clean it carefully and for a deep or extensive wound see a doctor and check tetanus protection. sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gymnothorax

More from the family Muraenidae

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