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Gymnothorax javanicus

‘Ā‘ā Pata

Giant Moray

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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Image:	Adult	72KB
Video:	Suwarrow (© G.Wragg)	931KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Giant Moray, Javanese Moray-Eel, Blackpearl Moray, Giant Moray, Tropical Moray; German Riesen-Muräne; French Murène Javanaise

TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘Ā‘ā Pata (RR), Kerekere Pata < Pata (MG), Pui Pata (AT), Pu‘i Pata (MK MT), Kara‘oa / Kurakura < Kara‘oa < Takiari (AK), Va‘a Roa / Moray Eel (PL), Pusi Kelekele (TS), Pusi Kerekere (TW), Puhi Kōiro (MH RK), Kalou Uli (PK NS); Other Polynesian - Puhi Iari (TAH); COMMENT: Aitutaki: Kurakura to ankle diameter, Kara‘oa to thigh diameter, and Takiari larger than thigh in diameter.

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Pitcairn, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to New Caledonia

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Common, S.Group and N.Group. PLUS:; Marine, near-shore

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Excellent, double cooked. Ciguatoxic.; Poisonous to eat - Ciguatoxic

KEY FEATURES: To 250cm TL and 40kg.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Yellow-margined Moray (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) differs by having: NO leopard-like spots; pale orange eye; a yellow-green margin posteriorly on the fins; and, a purplish-grey head.

Enlarged Image of 'Gymnothorax javanicus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P	P	++	++		P	P

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
P			P		P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker, 1859)
SYNONYMS: Lycodontis javanicus; Muraena javanicus [O]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Anguilliformes; Muraenoidei; MURAENIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens J.Dashwood PhotoCINews 1980s (Sims88). Palmerston: Photo05 misID as Gymnothorax flavimarginatus (G&S85), reID GM. Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Gymnothorax javanicus. Suwarrow: field ID N.Sims (Sims EIA99);

References:
text p.44 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 9g Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.38 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.59 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 6-01 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes
plate 7-10 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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