Gymnothorax thyrsoideus (Richardson, 1845)
Greyface moray
photo by Pyle, R.L.

Family:  Muraenidae (Moray eels), subfamily: Muraeninae
Max. size:  73.2 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 568.3 g
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 30 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Christmas Island to French Polynesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to Tonga; throughout Micronesia.
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 125-137. Vomerine teeth are biserial and diverging anteriorly with the posterior most 3 to 4 teeth forming a single row (Ref. 37816). Description: Characterized by whitish or pale yellow color; densely mottled with small brown spots; purplish grey color front half of head; white iris; body depth at gill opening17-22 in TL; origin of dorsal fin about midway between gill opening and mouth corner; anus well anterior to middle of body; preanal length about 2.5 in TL; conical teeth, none as canines, in two rows on side of upper jaw and front of lower jaw; median row of intermaxillary with two conical teeth (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Fairly common inhabitant of reef flats where it is usually encountered in shallow tidal pools. Feeds on crustaceans, small fishes and octopi (Ref. 89972). Often in shipwrecks; usually in pairs or small aggregations, and shares habitat with other morays (Ref. 48635). Also common in sheltered reefs (Ref 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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