Gymnothorax nudivomer, commonly known as the starry moray or yellowmouth moray, is a marine fish species belonging to the family Muraenidae.
The starry moray is a large fish, capable of growing up to a maximum length of 180 cm. However, it is more commonly observed at smaller sizes. Its body is characterized by a serpentine shape, with a brown background color adorned with small white spots encircled by darker brown markings. The size of these spots gradually increases from the head to the tail. Notably, the inside of the starry moray's mouth is yellow, providing a distinctive identifying feature. Skin slime is potentially toxic, possibly serving as a defense mechanism against parasites and predators. The gill aperture of the fish is a dark brown color.
This species can be found in the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the eastern coast of Africa, including the 🌊 Red Sea, to Polynesia and Hawaii (🇺🇸 United States), as well as from southern 🇯🇵 Japan to 🇳🇨 New Caledonia (🇫🇷 Overseas France). It typically inhabits the outer slopes of coral reefs, seeking refuge in crevices at depths ranging from 1.0 to 272.6 meters (3.3 to 894.3 feet). However, it is commonly spotted at depths around 30 meters (99 feet).
The starry moray is known to be a solitary and carnivorous species. It ventures out of its lair during the nighttime, actively hunting its prey along the reef. Its diet primarily consists of fish.
Why it's threatened
There are no major threats known to this species.
Threat classification from the IUCN Red List.
