Species profile
Abbott's Moray
Gymnothorax eurostus
At a glance
Abbott's Moray (Gymnothorax eurostus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 745 research-grade iNaturalist observations, concentrated in Hawaii.
Notable details
- One of the smaller morays, reaching a maximum length of about 60 cm (2 feet).
- Found across rocky reefs and rubble zones throughout the Indo-Pacific, including Hawaii.
- Nocturnal predator that spends daylight hours wedged inside reef crevices.
- Its constant open-mouthed appearance is simply how it pumps water to breathe, not aggression.
Where Abbott's Moray are seen
Background
Abbott's moray eel, also known as the stout moray (Gymnothorax eurostus) is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific, antitropical in distribution. It is found in the eastern Pacific from Costa Rica to Easter Island, at depths to 40 m. Its length is up to 60 cm. Abbott's moray eel is a shallow-water, inshore reef species, though not often seen. They are voracious nocturnal…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Abbott's Moray article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.