Species: Gymnothorax pictus, Paint-spotted moray, Peppered moray

Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl, 1789)

Peppered moray, Paint-spotted moray

Elongate, anus at mid-length; posterior nostrils not tubular, at most a raised rim; teeth on jaws mostly in 1 row, short and conical at front, compressed and triangular along sides; 2 rows that diverge anteriorly on roof of mouth; dorsal and anal fins covered with skin, but clearly evident; dorsal fin origin ~ above level of gill opening.

White with dense covering of irregularly arranged small black spots on head; body with dark spots more regularly arranged in large blotches separated by thin pale areas; juveniles with spots clustered into large, pale centered blotches arranged in several longitudinal rows.

Size: to 140 cm.

Habitat: rocky bottoms.

Depth: 0-5 m.

Widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific from East Africa to the Americas; Costa Rica and Panama, and most of the offshore islands.