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Peppered Moray
Siderea picta (Ahl, 1789)
The Peppered Moray can be recognised by its fine black speckles which sometimes join to form diffuse spots.
This image of two Peppered Morays was taken by A. Kung in less than one metre of water just off the beach at Paradise Island, Lankanfinolhu in the Maldive Islands.
This species is known to occur in very shallow water on reef flats where it feeds primarily on crustaceans and also on fishes.
It has been seen fully exposed as the tide recedes, and leaping from the water to capture crabs on rocks above the surface. It is recorded throughout the Indo-Pacific and from islands of the tropical eastern Pacific. In Australia it is found in tropical waters from north-west Cape, Western Australia, to the Capricorn Group, Queensland.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Böhlke, E.B. & J.E. McCosker. 2001. The moray eels of Australia and New Zealand, with the description of two new species (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae). Records of the Australian Museum. 53(1): 71-102.
- Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol.7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. pp. i-xii, 1-665.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R & R.C. Steene. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 507.
- Randall, J.E. 1995. Coastal Fishes of Oman. Crawford House Publishing. Pp. 439.
