Speckled moray

Taxobox
name = Speckled moray
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Anguilliformes
familia = Muraenidae
genus = "Gymnothorax"
species = "G. obesus"
binomial = "Gymnothorax obesus"
binomial_authority = (Whitley, 1932)

The speckled moray, or Griffin's moray, "Gymnothorax obesus", is a moray eel of the genus "Gymnothorax", found in Australia and around the offshore islands off Northland and the Bay of Plenty on the North Island of New Zealand at depths down to 100 m, in reef areas of broken rock. Their length is between 40 and 200 cm.

The speckled moray is the largest moray in New Zealand waters, specimens over 2 metres in length weighing over 13 kilograms have been caught. It is a very elongate scaleless fish with a blunt head and large mouth full of prominent backward facing teeth, hinged so that they can fold back but lock when prey tries to struggle free. Its colour is dark brown with closely spaced fawn speckles over the entire body.

The speckled moray lives in rocky reef areas around offshore islands, spending most of its time with its head emerging from its cave or crevice, mouth agape. The open-mouthed stance is not aggression - morays need to continuously draw water through their small gills, and in fact this is actually a timid fish despite its huge size and ferocious appearance. They are active mostly at night but move about during the day if the smell of food entices them. Their diet is made up of crabs, sea urchins, and small fish.

When hooked, morays fight energetically, even tying themselves in knots, and it is often impossible to remove the hook.

References

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* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, "Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 978-0-00-216987-5