Family : Muraenidae (Moray eels) , subfamily: Muraeninae
Order : Anguilliformes  (eels and morays)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Laced moray
Fish Name : Gymnothorax favagineus
Max size : 300 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 1 - 45 m
Climate : tropical
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience: Distribution: Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea (Ref. 33390) and East Africa to Papua New Guinea (Ref. 9710), north to southern Japan, south to Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0; Vertebrae: 140-143. Basically white with black blotches and interspaces forming a honeycomb pattern (Ref. 30404, 48635). Some individuals have a near black overall appearance (Ref. 48635). Blotches variable between individuals and size, often in relation to habitat - those in clear coral reefs usually have proportionally less black than those found in turbid waters (Ref. 30404).
Biology : Inhabits reef flats and outer reef slopes of continental reefs (Ref. 9710). One of the two largest of Indo-Pacific morays. Often in holes with cleaner wrasses or shrimps (Ref. 48635). Feeds on cephalopods and small fishes (Ref. 30573). Large adults may be aggressive (Ref. 9710). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30573
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott. 1991
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen. 1994. (Ref. 6934)

India country information
Common Names : കളളിമലഞ്ഞി, കല്ലിമാലഞി , Kallimalanhi
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses