Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0; Vertebrae: 132 - 137. Close set narrow dark bands (Ref. 30404). Has close-set pebble-like teeth used for crushing hard-shelled prey (Ref. 37816). Rounded snout (Ref. 48635).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Muraenidae

Genus: Gymnomuraena

Species: Gymnomuraena zebra (Shaw, 1797)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A secretive inhabitant of sandy and rocky bottoms, crevices and ledges of seaward reefs. It feeds primarily on xanthid crabs, but also on other crustaceans, mollusks and sea urchins (Ref. 9710, 48635). Benthic from 1-39 m, usually at <4 m (Ref. 58302). Possibly a protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 32169). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30874.

Habitat

associated