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Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) — Muraenidae

Reeve's moray

Gymnothorax reevesii
Family: Muraenidae

The Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) is a saltwater fish of the family Muraenidae that grows up to 70 cm.

Length
70 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–55.0 m
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
May bite
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Marquesas Is., French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Japan and others

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Description

Reeve's moray is a moray (Muraenidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 70 cm and has an elongate, snake-shaped, brownish, scaleless body with a marbled and reticulate pattern. As a nocturnal reef predator it hides by day in crevices of rocky reefs and seizes fish and crustaceans at night. It bites fiercely when disturbed; handle with care.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Reeve's moray?

The Reeve's moray has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern. Can bite with sharp teeth or powerful jaws; handle with care.

Where does the Reeve's moray live?

The Reeve's moray lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Marquesas Is., French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Japan and others

How big does the Reeve's moray get?

The Reeve's moray grows to a maximum of about 70 cm.

Is the Reeve's moray dangerous to humans?

The Reeve's moray can bite, but is otherwise not dangerous to humans. Do not feed or reach into crevices. For a bite: rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water, apply firm pressure to stop bleeding and cover with a sterile dressing. Moray bites are deep and prone to infection: always have them assessed medically and check tetanus status.

More photos

Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) — Muraenidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) sharkdevotee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) — Muraenidae — 3
Murphy, Katherine, Reft, Abigail, Weigt, Lee (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) — Muraenidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Lily Yeung, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Reeve's moray (Gymnothorax reevesii) — Muraenidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — タウナギ (CC0)
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Reeve's moray sourced
Scientific name
Gymnothorax reevesii
Family
Muraenidae
Other names
Reeve's moray; Moray eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
70.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
55.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Marquesas Is., French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Japan 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

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
Do not feed or reach into crevices. For a bite: rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water, apply firm pressure to stop bleeding and cover with a sterile dressing. Moray bites are deep and prone to infection: always have them assessed medically and check tetanus status. 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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