tiger reef-eel
Scuticaria tigrina
Very secretive moray of shallow reefs in the eastern Pacific, with black spots edged in yellow. It is usually seen only at night and is seldom fished.
Also called: moreia-tigrina, morena atigrada, morena atigrada de arrecifes, tiger reef-eel
- maximum
- 140 cm
- depth
- 0–25 m
who is the tiger reef-eel
The tiger moray belongs to the family Muraenidae and reaches 140 cm. It has an eel-like body and a very reduced fin. The color ranges from yellowish to reddish brown, with black spots edged in yellow. It lives in lagoons and outer reefs, over sand and among rocks, from 0 to 25 m. It is extremely secretive and is usually seen only at night. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific and the eastern Pacific, with records in Mexico, including the Revillagigedo Islands, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. It is commercially fished and sold for aquariums.
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 tiger reef-eel; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Moray with a very elongated body, rounded snout and a mouth dotted with black. The yellowish to reddish-brown color has black spots with yellow edges, a trait that helps identify it. The fin is very reduced, another important sign. It is extremely secretive, hides among rocks and over sand, and usually appears only at night.
Loading the next 7 days…
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 there are records in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, in lagoons and reefs. The species also occurs in the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Lagoons and outer reefs, over sand and among rocks, from 0 to 25 m.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. Extremely secretive, usually seen only at night.
rules for the tiger reef-eel
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.
Watch the mouth, as morays bite when handled. Release it with pliers and without putting your hand near its head.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00034, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Scuticaria tigrina (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Scuticaria tigrinaNames by country and language.
