Freshwater Moray – Gymnothorax Polyuranodon

A short YouTube video from Louis Villain featuring Gymnothorax Polyuranodon.

From the Australian Museum

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.

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.

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

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.