yellow-edged moray
Gymnothorax flavimarginatus · Muraenidae · predator
Large moray of surf zones and reefs in the eastern Pacific, yellowish and dark-spotted. There are reports of ciguatera, so be careful when eating it.
Also called: moreia-de-borda-amarela, morena de borde amarillo, yellow-edged moray
- maximum
- 240 cm
- depth
- 0–150 m

the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
tap or drag on the chart to read each hour · on a keyboard, arrow keyssee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
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.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the yellow-edged moray
who is the yellow-edged moray
The yellowmargin moray belongs to the family Muraenidae and reaches 240 cm. It has an eel-like body, yellowish and densely marked with dark brown, and reddish eyes. It lives in coral or rocky areas, from reef flats to outer reefs and along surf zones, from 0 to 150 m, and feeds on cephalopods, fish and crustaceans. It is solitary and curious, and is often seen with its head out of its hole. It shows up at the reef after a fish has been wounded by a spear, as it is very sensitive to the signals from injured fish. It occurs in the eastern Pacific and the Indo-Pacific, where it is eaten in some regions.
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 yellow-edged moray; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Juveniles are sometimes bright yellow, with brown spots.
identification
Moray with an elongated, compressed body and yellowish color densely marked with dark brown. It has reddish eyes, a grayish-purple front of the head, and yellow-green fin edges. The gill opening lies within a black patch, which helps identify it. Juveniles are sometimes bright yellow with brown spots. It is solitary and is usually seen with its head out of its hole.
where found
In Latin America there are records in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, and in the eastern Pacific the species reaches the Galapagos. It also occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Surf zones and coral and rocky areas, from reef flats to outer reefs, from 0 to 150 m.
rules for the yellow-edged 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.
There are reports of ciguatera, so the main care is with eating it. Morays bite when handled: do not put your hand near the mouth and release it with pliers.
in the kitchen
It is eaten in some parts of the Indo-Pacific, but there are reports of ciguatera, so care is advised.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00035, b = 3.36; 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: Gymnothorax flavimarginatus (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 flavimarginatusNames by country and language.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: