Relevant synonyms None. Misidentification None.  photo : N. Stern

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body very elongated and flexible. Snout blunt. Large mouth with a single row of triangular finely serrated teeth. The anterior teeth are the largest, progressively decreasing in size posteriorly. A single row of 6-10 vomerine teeth. Eye diameter nearly 10% of head length. Posterior nostril at the level of anterior forth of eye. Anterior nostril tube-like at the tip of snout. Pronounced grooves on the throat and the lateral head. Long dorsal and anal fins, both confluented  with caudal fin. No pectoral or pelvic fins. No scales on the body. color : body brown-grey to yellowish background with 18-19 dark brown bars on the ventral surface with white marks between them. Dorsal surface of head and two thirds of the body with many brown dots and spots. Chin and throat light brown with brown horizontal line on the throat. size : common 20-50 cm (max. 60 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Gymnothorax unicolor: body uniformly colored. Muraena helena: both posterior and anterior nostrils have tubes. Enchelycore anatine: arched jaws, teeth visible when mouth closed. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds on fish and large invertebrates. Eggs and larvae planktonic. habitat : rocky and open benthic soft substrate.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD 2012, Israel. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Indo-Pacific. Mediterranean : a single specimen was recorded from Israel waters. The taxonomic status of the Red Sea specimens is under study. It may turn out to be a separate species which is probably the source of the migrant specimen. ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare. speculated reasons for success : MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Randall J.E. and Golani D., 1995. A review of the moray eel (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) of the Red Sea. Bulletin of Marine Science, 56: 849-880. Stern N. and Goren M., 2013. First record of the moray eel Gymnothorax reticularis, Bloch, 1795 in the Mediterranean Sea, with a note on its taxonomy and distribution. Zootaxa, 3641 (2): 197-200. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: November 2013 ©ciesm 2002