Kidako moray

Kidako moray
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Muraenidae
Genus: Gymnothorax
Species: G. kidako
Binomial name
Gymnothorax kidako
Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 [1]
Synonyms

Gymnothorax mucifer Snyder, 1904

The Kidako moray (Gymnothorax kidako) is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

Description

The Kidako moray is a medium size fish which can reach a maximum length of 91 cm.[2] Its serpentine in shape body has a white cream to light brown-yellowish background color spread with tree-like brown pattern.

Distribution & habitat

The Kidako moray is widespread throughout the western to central Ocean Pacific area from Taiwan to Polynesia, Hawaii included, and from south Japan to New-Caledonia.[3]

It usually resides in crevices in shallow reefs. Sometimes the Kidako moray, which is quite common in some area in Japan, is used for food, so is included in some minor commercial fisheries.[4]

Biology

The Kidako moray is carnivorous, it leaves its lair at night to actively hunt its preys along the reef. It feeds mainly on small fish and cephalopods.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Gymnothorax kidako". Integrated Taxonomic Information System Database. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
  2. ↑ Randall, J.E. 2005 Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 720 p.
  3. ↑ New-CaledoniaMundy, B.C. 2005 Checklist of the fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bishop Museum Bulletins in Zoology. Bishop Mus. Bull. Zool. (6):1-704.
  4. ↑ Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen, 1994. A review of the muraenid eels (Family Muraenidae) from Taiwan with descriptions of twelve new records. Zool. Stud. 33(1):44-64.
  5. ↑ Masuda, H. and G.R. Allen, 1993. Meeresfische der Welt - Groß-Indopazifische Region. Tetra Verlag, Herrenteich, Melle. 528 p.
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