Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Gymnothorax castaneus
Morena verde, Morena verde panamica, morena verde panamica, Chestnut moray, Panamic green moray
Occasionally have fine white to yellow spots or flecks on rear body and dorsal fin. Length exceeding 1.2 m
Habitat: Typically, they lie quietly on the bottom among rocks both day and night, although some individuals can be observed moving about the reef areas or shallow rocky bottom at night. Solitary.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Order
Anguilliformes
Suborder
Muraenoidei
Family
Muraenidae
Genus
Gymnothorax
Species
castaneus
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Sidera castanea Jordan & Gilbert, 1883, fide Appeltans et al. (2010)
Origin: Native
Distribution: Eastern Pacific, from the central part of the Gulf of California to Panama, Cocos, Malpelo and Ecuador, Galapagos, Revillagigedos.
- Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
- Edgar, G.J. Fariña, J.M., Calvopiña, M., Martínez, C. & Banks, S. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas II: Peces y macroinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 68-97.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
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This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Gymnothorax castaneus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7637. Accessed 31 October 2026.