Colour dark brown, with irregular black spots anteriorly;
lighter granulations which form diffuse crossbars on tail.
Attains 31 cm. Common from Natal northwards; IndoPacific.
41.7 Gymnothorax buroensis: 27.5 em (Tahiti; photo by J.E. Randall).
41.8 Gymnothorax e/egans
Bliss, 1883
PLATE?
Elegant moray
Elegante bontpaling
Gymnothorax elegans Bliss, 1883: 60 (Mauritius). Lycodontis
goldsboroughi (non Jordan & Evermann): Smith, SFSA No. 1124a*.
Lycodontis elegans: Smith, 1962: 436*.
Head about 8, depth 17. Uniserial, sharp teeth on jaws; large fang on
intermaxillary; uniserial, much smaller teeth on vomer. Vertebrae 141.
Colour greenish, spots yellowish; a brown stripe ventrally
from chin to anus and alongside anal; gill opening dark;
median fins light edged. Attains 53 cm. From deep-water,
Inhaca, Mauritius and Samoa; probably rare.
41.9 Gymnothorax enigmaticus
McCosker & Randall, 1982
Tiger moray
Tier-bontpaling
Lycodontis ruppelli (non McClelland): Smith, 1962: 434*. Gymnothorax enigmaticus McCosker & Randall, 1982: 18, Fig. 1 (Palau, western Caroline Ids.).
Head 8, depth 16-23. Teeth sharp, slender, uniserial on jaws and
vomer; young with a few larger teeth in an inner row in upper jaw; a few
depressible fangs on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 128-131.
41.9 Gymnothorax enigmaticus: 38 em (Aldabra Id.).
41: MURAENIDAE (MORAY EELS)
Colour pale brown, yellowish in front; tail tip and
anterior nostrils pale; about 17-21 dark brown vertical
bands, wide in young, narrowing with age, those on head
complete under chin and throat. Attains 58 cm. Juveniles
from Natal, Indo-Pacific.
41.10 Gymnothorax eurdstus
(Abbott, 1861)
Salt and pepper moray
Sout-en-peper-bontpaling
Thyrsoidea eurosta Abbott, 1861: 478 (Hawaii). ?Lycodontis meleagris
(non Shaw & Nodder, 1795): Smith, SFSA No. 1130*; Smith, 1962: 435*
(in part, Fig. only). Gymnothorax eurostus: Winterbottom, 1978: 42.
Head 9, depth 17. Sharp, prominent teeth on jaws, biserial on upper
jaw and larger in inner row, uniserial on lower; several large fangs on premaxillary; a few uniserial, small teeth on vomer. Vertebrae 120-123.
Colour dark purplish brown, covered with small yellow
spots, crowded in front, more sparse on tail; anteriorly a
scattering of larger, black spots. Attains 38 cm. Transkei to
Bazaruto; Indo-Pacific.
41.10 Gymnothorax eurostus: 37.5 em (Sodwana Bay). Arrow indicates anus.
41.11 Gymnothorax favagineus
(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Honeycomb moray
Heuningkoek-bontpaling
Gymnothorax favagineus Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 525 (Pacific).
Lycodontis tessellata (non Richardson): Smith, SFSA No. 1127a*. Gymnothorax tesselata: Smith, 1961: 572, No. 1127a. Lycodontis favagineus:
Smith, 1962: 433*.
Head 8-9, depth 13-15. Uniserial, sharp, prominent teeth on jaws;
several large, depressible fangs on intermaxillary; uniserial, smaller teeth
on vomer, becoming biserial with age. Vertebrae 140-143.
Colour: dark brown-black blotches separated by a
honeycomb network of yellowish or white lines, the pattern
continuing into mouth. Attains 250 cm. Algoa Bay to southern Mozambique; Indo-Pacific.
169
lighter granulations which form diffuse crossbars on tail.
Attains 31 cm. Common from Natal northwards; IndoPacific.
41.7 Gymnothorax buroensis: 27.5 em (Tahiti; photo by J.E. Randall).
41.8 Gymnothorax e/egans
Bliss, 1883
PLATE?
Elegant moray
Elegante bontpaling
Gymnothorax elegans Bliss, 1883: 60 (Mauritius). Lycodontis
goldsboroughi (non Jordan & Evermann): Smith, SFSA No. 1124a*.
Lycodontis elegans: Smith, 1962: 436*.
Head about 8, depth 17. Uniserial, sharp teeth on jaws; large fang on
intermaxillary; uniserial, much smaller teeth on vomer. Vertebrae 141.
Colour greenish, spots yellowish; a brown stripe ventrally
from chin to anus and alongside anal; gill opening dark;
median fins light edged. Attains 53 cm. From deep-water,
Inhaca, Mauritius and Samoa; probably rare.
41.9 Gymnothorax enigmaticus
McCosker & Randall, 1982
Tiger moray
Tier-bontpaling
Lycodontis ruppelli (non McClelland): Smith, 1962: 434*. Gymnothorax enigmaticus McCosker & Randall, 1982: 18, Fig. 1 (Palau, western Caroline Ids.).
Head 8, depth 16-23. Teeth sharp, slender, uniserial on jaws and
vomer; young with a few larger teeth in an inner row in upper jaw; a few
depressible fangs on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 128-131.
41.9 Gymnothorax enigmaticus: 38 em (Aldabra Id.).
41: MURAENIDAE (MORAY EELS)
Colour pale brown, yellowish in front; tail tip and
anterior nostrils pale; about 17-21 dark brown vertical
bands, wide in young, narrowing with age, those on head
complete under chin and throat. Attains 58 cm. Juveniles
from Natal, Indo-Pacific.
41.10 Gymnothorax eurdstus
(Abbott, 1861)
Salt and pepper moray
Sout-en-peper-bontpaling
Thyrsoidea eurosta Abbott, 1861: 478 (Hawaii). ?Lycodontis meleagris
(non Shaw & Nodder, 1795): Smith, SFSA No. 1130*; Smith, 1962: 435*
(in part, Fig. only). Gymnothorax eurostus: Winterbottom, 1978: 42.
Head 9, depth 17. Sharp, prominent teeth on jaws, biserial on upper
jaw and larger in inner row, uniserial on lower; several large fangs on premaxillary; a few uniserial, small teeth on vomer. Vertebrae 120-123.
Colour dark purplish brown, covered with small yellow
spots, crowded in front, more sparse on tail; anteriorly a
scattering of larger, black spots. Attains 38 cm. Transkei to
Bazaruto; Indo-Pacific.
41.10 Gymnothorax eurostus: 37.5 em (Sodwana Bay). Arrow indicates anus.
41.11 Gymnothorax favagineus
(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Honeycomb moray
Heuningkoek-bontpaling
Gymnothorax favagineus Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 525 (Pacific).
Lycodontis tessellata (non Richardson): Smith, SFSA No. 1127a*. Gymnothorax tesselata: Smith, 1961: 572, No. 1127a. Lycodontis favagineus:
Smith, 1962: 433*.
Head 8-9, depth 13-15. Uniserial, sharp, prominent teeth on jaws;
several large, depressible fangs on intermaxillary; uniserial, smaller teeth
on vomer, becoming biserial with age. Vertebrae 140-143.
Colour: dark brown-black blotches separated by a
honeycomb network of yellowish or white lines, the pattern
continuing into mouth. Attains 250 cm. Algoa Bay to southern Mozambique; Indo-Pacific.
169