Name: Undulated Moray
Local name: Nagoog
Scientific name: Gymnothorax undulatus
Classification: Class: ray-finned fishes; Order: eels; Family: moray eels (Muraenidae)
Size: It may reach up to 1 m in length.
Habitat:
This is the most common species of moray eel in the Arabian Gulf. It is found on among rocks, rubble, or debris and also occurs in lagoons and seaward coral assemblages down to depths of at least 26 m. The Undulated Moray is active at night and feeds on fishes, squids, and probably crustaceans. It has been reported to be aggressive and prone to bite.
Distribution:
It is widely distributed in the tropical Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa to Polynesia, Japan, Australia and the Eastern Central Pacific.
Conservation status:
The Undulated Moray has not yet been assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A regional assessment for the Arabian Gulf is currently underway. It is occasionally caught in traps, but usually discarded and rarely marketed.
Description:
This moray eel has long canine teeth anteriorly in in its jaws. The origin of the dorsal fin is closer to the gill openings than to the corner of the mouth. Juveniles are grey to brown with narrow, irregular, whitish to yellowish spots on body and fins. These spots become larger blotches in adults. The top of the head is olive-green to yellow-green, with small irregular dark brown spots posteriorly, while the snout and lower jaw are light grey-brown without spots.
