Animal Species:Freshwater Moray, Gymnothorax polyuranodon (Bleeker, 1853)

The Freshwater Moray can be recognised by its colour.  It's distribution in Australia is restricted to a number of streams in far northern Queensland.

Freshwater Moray from Cape Tribulation

Freshwater Moray from Cape Tribulation
Brendan Ebner © Brendan Ebner

Alternative Name/s

Manytoothed Moray

Identification

The Freshwater Moray can be recognised by its colour and habitat. It is yellowish to brown with dark spots on the head, body and fins. The snout and lower jaw of adults are pale. The species is often wrongly identified as a species of Uropterygius because it appears to lack a dorsal fin. A fleshy dorsal fin, which originates behind the gill openings, is present.

Size range

The species grows to at least 90 cm in length.

Distribution

It occurs in the tropical Western Pacific.  In Australia it is only known from a few creeks on the eastern coast of the lower Cape York peninsula, Queensland.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Freshwater Moray specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It occurs in estuaries and lower reaches of freshwater streams.

Classification

Species:
polyuranodon
Genus:
Gymnothorax
Family:
Muraenidae
Order:
Anguilliformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & M. Allen. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 394.
  2. Bohlke, E.B. & J.E. McCosker. 2001. The moray eels of Australia and New Zealand, with the description of two new species (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae). Records of the Australian Museum. 53(1): 71-102.
  3. Ebner, B.C., Kroll, B., Godfrey, P., Thuesen, P.A., Vallance, T., Pusey, B., Allen, G.R., Rayner, T.S. & C.N. Perna. 2011. Is the elusive Gymnothorax polyuranodon really a freshwater moray? Journal of Fish Biology. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.02987.x.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Freshwater Moray, Gymnothorax polyuranodon, Muraenidae, eel, Manytoothed Moray, freshwater, yellow, brown, dark spots, dots/spots, 30 cm - 1 m, tropical water, freshwater streams, Cape York,