Reticulated Hookjaw Moray
Enchelycore lichenosa
- Usual depth1.5 m
- Water temperature21–29 °C
- Best monthsMay and August
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) 呂一起(Lyu yi-chi), some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Enchelycore lichenosa is a moray eel found in coral reefs around Taiwan, southern Japan, and the Galapagos Islands. It was first named by Jordan and Snyder in 1901, and is commonly known as the reticulate hookjaw moray. To respirate, the eel constantly opens and closes its mouth.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Enchelycore lichenosa”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 0 records
- February: 1 records
- March: 1 records
- April: 1 records
- May: 5 records
- June: 1 records
- July: 2 records
- August: 4 records
- September: 2 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 2 records
- December: 1 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 1.5 m · Deepest record: 1.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 21–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Reticulated Hookjaw Moray, Reticulate Hookjaw Moray
Names in 3 more languages
- Spanish
- Morena Boca De Gancho, Morena Mosaico, Morena reticulada
- Japanese
- Koke-utsubo, Kokeutsubo, コケウツボ
- Simplified Chinese
- 苔斑勾吻鯙, 苔斑勾吻鱔, 薯鰻, 虎鰻, 錢鰻
Other scientific names: Aemasia lichenosa
Similar species
Dragon EelEnchelycore pardalis
Mosaic EelEnchelycore ramosa
Bentjaw MorayEnchelycore schismatorhynchus
- Bayer's Moray
Enchelycore bayeri
- Bikini Atoll Moray
Enchelycore bikiniensis
Snowflake morayEchidna nebulosa
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 11 open-data records from 1900 to 2003.
- Species data updated November 2, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.