Philippines country information

Common names: Malibanos
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Popular species in aquarium trade. Also Ref. 48613.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Muraenidae (Moray eels) > Muraeninae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Black leafnosed moray eel, Ribbon eel, Murène ruban, ... more

Main reference

Chen, H.-M., K.-T. Shao and C.T. Chen. 1994. (Ref. 6934)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 130 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2334)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 94 - 120 cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 67 m (Ref. 90102)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred ?; 32°N - 26°S

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia and French Polynesia; including Marianas and Marshalls.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Vertebrae: 270 - 286. Has three fleshy tentacles on the tip of its lower jaw, a single fleshy pointed projection at the tip of its snout, and tubular anterior nostrils ending in gaudy, fanlike expansions.

Adults occur in lagoon and seaward reefs. They are secretive species normally hidden in sand or rubble, sometimes with only its head protruding. Feed on small fishes (Ref. 9710, 48635, 75154, 89972). Juveniles all black, males have yellow dorsal fin and females change to a nearly all yellow color, but usually with blue in the posterior (Ref. 48635). Only moray that undergoes abrupt changes in coloration and sex: it is a protandrous hermaphrodite, i.e., functioning males reverse sex to become females. Protandry is diagnosed based on colouration, but not confirmed (Ref. 84746).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Aquarium: commercial

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.5 ±0.80 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
High to very high vulnerability (71 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Medium

Rhinomuraena quaesita Garman, 1888