Gymnothorax zonipectis Seale, 1906

Rajan, P. T., Bharucha, Johann, Bineesh, K. K. & Mishra, S. S., 2018, Gymnothorax zonipectis Seale, 1906 (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) - an addition to the Eel Fauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 118 (3), pp. 287-292 : 288

Gymnothorax zonipectis Seale, 1906 (Bartail Moray)

Gymnothorax zonipectis Seale, 1906 , Occ. Pap. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural History, 4 (1): 7, Fig. 1 (Tahiti, Society Islands South Pacific).

Gymnothorax zonipectis : Allen and Erdmann, 2012, Reef fishes of the East Indies: 95.

Diagnostic characters: Body elongate, devoid of pectoral fin; body depth at gill opening 15 to 20 times in total length; dorsal fin origin on head, nearer to gill opening than rictus of mouth; tail longer than rest of body, preanal length 2.2-2.3 in total length; jaws with a single row of canine teeth anteriorly and small sharp teeth on sides, upper jaw with an inner row of few small canines; roof of mouth with two elongate median canine teeth; vertebrae 122 to 130. Colour usually pinkish-brown with yellow hue ventrally; white bands and blotches on jaws, dark brown band on jaws, dark brown band at rear edge of eye, 2-4 longitudinal rows of dendritic brown blotches on body, and diagonal bands on posterior dorsal and anal fins.

Habitat: Mainly outer slopes in 4-40 m in coral reef areas.