Gymnothorax chilospilus Bleeker, 1864
Lipspot moray
Gymnothorax chilospilus
photo by Goebbels, D.

Family:  Muraenidae (Moray eels), subfamily: Muraeninae
Max. size:  50.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 45 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: South Africa and Oman to the Hawaiian and Society islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to northern Australia and the Loyalty Islands.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0; Vertebrae: 121-133. Body light brown, with dendritic pattern. Corner of mouth with a dark brown spot, preceded on lower lip by a large white blotch (often followed by another above and behind corner of mouth); upper and lower jaw pores usually in prominent white spots. Vertebrae 121-133. Description: Characterized by body depth at gill opening about 18-20 in TL; origin of dorsal fin at about midway between gill opening and corner of mouth; anus located near middle of body; single row of jaw teeth in anterior part of jaws; posterior canines usually alternating with 1-2 small teeth; three longest median canines at front of upper jaw; females, side of jaw with two rows of teeth, 1-3 elongate teeth in inner row (no inner teeth in male); front of lower jaw with two rows of teeth, inner row longest (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Occurs in shallow coastal reef flats, usually found in less than 5 m water depth, but ranges to deep water rubble reefs (Ref. 48635). Benthic (Ref. 58302).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 17 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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