Kidako Moray, Gymnothorax mucifer (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)


Other Names: Kidako's Moray, Vermiculate Moray

A Kidako Moray, Gymnothorax mucifer, at North West Solitary Island, New South Wales - depth 18 m. Source: Ian V. Shaw / Reef Life Survey. License: CC By Attribution

Summary:
A brownish moray with large, pale, snowflake-like blotches on the head, body and fins (sometimes fewer and smaller on the tail), a series of pale blotches on the anal fin margin posteriorly on the tail, and a plain coloured lower jaw.
In Australia, this species was previously known as Gymnothorax kidako, which occurs in China, Taiwan and Japan.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2020, Gymnothorax mucifer in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3810

Kidako Moray, Gymnothorax mucifer (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)

More Info


Distribution

Off Fraser Island, Queensland, to Sydney, New South Wales. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, west-central Pacific.

Features

Vertebrae 130-141; Dentary teeth 17-27.

Similar Species

Differs from the similar Gymnothorax kidako in having a plain coloured lower jaw (vs. mottled in G. kidako), a series of pale blotches on the anal fin posteriorly on the tail (vs. a white margin on the anal fin continuous to the tip of the tail in G. kidako), more dentary teeth (17–27 vs. 16–20), and fewer total vertebrae (130–141 vs. 140–143).

Species Citation

Gymnothorax mucifer Snyder 1904, Bulletin of the U. S. Fish Commission 22: 519, Pl. 5 (fig. 9). Type locality: Honolulu market, Oahu Island, Hawaiian Islands.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2020

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Kidako Moray, Gymnothorax mucifer (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)

References


Böhlke, E.B. & McCosker, J.E. 2001. The moray eels of Australia and New Zealand, with the description of two new species (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae). Records of the Australian Museum 53: 71-102 figs 1-10 PDF available Open access (as Gymnothorax kidako)

Huang, W.-C., Chen, H.-M. & Liao, T.-Y. 2019. Revalidation of a moray eel, Gymnothorax mucifer Snyder, 1904 (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), with a revised distribution. Zootaxa 4559(1): 151-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4559.1.6

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press 707 pp. 
(as Gymnothorax kidako)

Snyder, J.O. 1904. A catalogue of the shore fishes collected by the steamer Albatross about the Hawaiian Islands in 1902. Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 22: 513-538 figs 1-13 See ref at BHL

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37060040

Danger:May bite if bothered

Depth:1-350 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:72 cm TL

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Species Maps

CAAB distribution map