Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Uropterygiinae
Etymology: Uropterygius: Greek, oura = tail + Greek pterygion = little wing. Fin (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Regan.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 18 m (Ref. 58302). Tropical; 30°N - 18°S
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian and Society islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 78.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 90102)
Vertebrae: 130 - 136. Covered with large dark purplish-brown spots arranged in 2-3 irregular series on a reddish-tan background. Closely resembles Scuticaria tigrina which has dark spots of differing sizes.
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Has been collected on reef flats (Ref. 37816). Benthic (Ref. 58302). Feeds on shrimps and fishes (Ref. 89972). Possibly a protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 32169).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Protogyny unconfirmed (Ref. 84746).
Randall, J.E. and D. Golani, 1995. Review of the moray eels (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea. Bull. Mar. Sci. 56(3):849-880. (Ref. 10713)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of potential interest
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