Gymnothorax castaneus
Gymnothorax castaneus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1883)
Panamic green moray
Gymnothorax castaneus
photo by Munson, L.


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Family:  Muraenidae (Moray eels), subfamily: Muraeninae
Max. size:  150 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 3 - 36 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Lives in rocky, boulder strewn areas and walls. Lurks in holes, crevices and dark recesses during day; forage in the open at night. Constantly opens and closes its mouth--an action required for respiration, not a threat (Ref. 5227). May occasionally wander into open sandy areas about 10-20 m from cover. Feeds mainly on crustaceans and fishes and are highly responsive to stimuli emanating from wounded or distressed prey at distances exceeding 20 m (Ref. 28023).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 May 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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