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: Bleeker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 14 m (Ref. 37816). Tropical; 32°N - 18°S
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea (Ref. 84159); Reunion and Mauritius (Ref. 33390), Seychelles (Ref. 10685); Christmas Island to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian islands. Eastern Pacific: southern Gulf of California to Ecuador, including the Revillagigedo, Cocos, and Galapagos islands (Ref. 9324). Specimen from Thailand needs further comparison (Ref. 1632).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 47.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 96339)
This species inhabits exposed seaward reefs to a depth of 14 m or more (Ref. 37816). Benthic (Ref. 58302). Solitary in crevices, rarely seen (Ref 90102).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen, 1994. A review of the muraenid eels (Family Muraenidae) from Taiwan with descriptions of twelve new records. Zool. Stud. 33(1):44-64. (Ref. 6934)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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