Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl 1789)
Other Names: Bar-cheeked Eel, Black-speckled Reef-eels, Peppered Moray
A Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus, at Oyster Island, Vanuatu. Source: William T. White. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A whitish to pale grey moray densely speckled with irregular, dark brown to black spots. Juveniles are yellowish with larger hollow-centred spots in about three rows along the body.
Video of a Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus.
Video of a Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus.
Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Gymnothorax pictus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 04 Oct 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3819
Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl 1789)
More Info
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Distribution |
North West Cape, WA, around the tropical north to the Capricorn Group, QLD; also Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. The species occurs elsewhere in the tropical, Indo-Pacific. Adults shelter in crevices, and under rocks and large rubble blocks on reef flats and rocky intertidal shores. |
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Feeding |
Feeds mostly on crabs, and also on small fishes and other crustaceans, sometimes leaving the water in pursuit of prey. |
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Species Citation |
Muraena picta Ahl 1789. Specimen ichthyologicum de Muraena et Ophichtho.: 8, pl. 2. Type locality: East Indies [Indonesia]. |
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Author |
Dianne J. Bray |
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Resources |
Painted Moray, Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl 1789)
References
Ahl, J.N. 1789. Specimen ichthyologicum de Muraena et Ophichtho. Inaug. Dissert. Uppsala 14 pp. 2 pls.
Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.
Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.
Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.
Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.
Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.
Böhlke, E.B., McCosker, J.E. & Smith, D.G. 1999. Family Muraenidae. pp. 1643-1657 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.
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
Castle, P. H. J. & McCosker, J. E. 1986. Family No. 41: Muraenidae. pp. 165-176 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.
Chave, E.H.N. & Randall, H.A. 1971. Feeding Behavior of the Moray Eel,Gymnothorax pictus. Copeia 1971(3): 570-574. Abstract
Fishelson, L. 1992. Comparative gonad morphology and sexuality of the Muraenidae (Pisces, Teleostei). Copeia 1992(1): 197-209.
Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2
Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.
Kuiter, R.H. & Tonozuka, T. 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia, p. 1-302.
Larson, H.K. & Williams, R.S. 1997. Darwin Harbour fishes: a survey and annotated checklist. pp. 339-380 in Hanley, H.R., Caswell, G., Megirian, D. & Larson, H.K. (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Proceedings of the Sixth International Marine Biology Workshop. Darwin : Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 466 pp.
McCosker, J.E. & Stewart, A.L. 2006. Additions to the New Zealand marine eel fauna with the description of a new moray, Anarchias supremus (Teleostei: Muraenidae), and comments on the identity of Gymnothorax griffini Whitley & Phillips. J. R. Soc. N. Z. 36(2): 83-95.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.
Sadovy de Mitcheson, Y. & M. Liu. 2008. Functional hermaphroditism in teleosts. Fish & Fisheries 9(1): 1-43.
