blackedge moray
Gymnothorax nigromarginatus
A moray eel of seagrass and bottom banks in the Gulf of Mexico and Central America, which sometimes shows up on fishing lines.
Also called: moreia-de-borda-negra, morena, morena de margen negro, blackedge moray
- maximum
- 99 cm
- record/max.
- 1.4 kg
- depth
- 10–19 m
who is the blackedge moray
A fish of the family Muraenidae, with a long, slender body, which lives in seagrass beds and bottom banks, generally 10 to 19 m deep. It reaches 99 cm and up to 1.4 kg. It is rare in bays and does not appear on coral reefs. It occurs from southern Florida to Texas and Yucatán, Mexico, and is more common west of the Mississippi Delta. It is used as a sport fish and in small-scale commercial fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the blackedge moray.
identification
A brown moray, with small yellow or white spots on the body and on the lower half of the fins. Like morays in general, it has no pectoral or pelvic fins, and it has a large mouth with sharp teeth. The popular name, black-edged moray, refers to a dark edge on the fins. It lives in seagrass and bottom banks, not on coral reefs, which helps tell it apart from other morays.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua. Outside it, it ranges from southern Florida to Texas, in seagrass and bottom banks.
Habitat: Seagrass and bottom banks, 10 to 19 m deep.
rules for the blackedge moray
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has sharp teeth and can bite when removed from the hook. Use a glove or pliers, and hold it behind the head.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00047, b = 3.28; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Gymnothorax nigromarginatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Gymnothorax nigromarginatusNames by country and language.