Laced Moray

Gymnothorax favagineus

Laced Moray

Gymnothorax favagineus

Other Common Names
Honeycomb Moray, Tessellate Moray, Black-spotted Moray

Connected Coasts

Other Common Names

Honeycomb Moray, Tessellate Moray, Black-spotted Moray

At the Aquarium

Connected Coasts

Appearance

The laced moray is white with dense black spots. The white between the spots forms a pattern resembling lace or honey combs, thus where this eel gets its names from.

Laced morays have a recorded max size of 9.8 feet long.

Habitat

The laced moray lives in coral reefs and rocky coastal waters. It is found in shallow ocean waters but can live upwards of 150 feet deep. These eels have also been found in brackish waters.

Diet

Laced morays hunt down small fish and cephalopods by ambushing its prey.

Life History

Being most active at night means that the laced moray is a nocturnal fish.

Female eels lay eggs that males then fertilize. There is little research about the reproduction of these eels.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Laced morays can be found sharing rocky crevasses with cleaner shrimp and cleaner wrasse.

These moray eels are caught and used as food in their native range. Like other reef fish, they can accumulate toxins from cyanobacteria that have passed up their food chain. In some regions of the world eating a laced moray can result in Ciguatera as a result.

Eat smaller fish and could be eaten by larger fish. Can be eaten by people. Like other reef fish, they can accumulate a toxin in their body. Share with cleaner shrimp or cleaner wrasses

Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean, East African Coast

This animal is not native to the Oregon Coast, however is found in the larger Pacific Ocean. It lives in the Aquarium as part of our Connected Coasts gallery.

The laced moray has no scales! It has a coat of slime that covers its skin to act as protection. This is something it shares with other species of moray eels.

Laced morays have not one but two sets of jaws! The second set of jaws, known as the pharyngeal jaws, live in the back of its mouth and can move forward to help pull prey into the mouth.

Citations & Other Resources

Smith, D.G., McCosker, J. & Tighe, K. 2019. Gymnothorax favagineus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019

Chan TYK. Regional Variations in the Risk and Severity of Ciguatera Caused by Eating Moray Eels. Toxins (Basel). 2017 Jun 26;9(7):201.

Gymnothorax favagineus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Laced moray. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/gymnothorax-favagineus

Laced Moray

Laced Moray

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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