Shortfin Snake Moray

Drab yellow or brown in color, overlain with a web-like network of dark thin lines (Ref. 3257).Description: Characterized by body depth at gill opening about 23 in TL; rudimentary fins; preanal length 2.2 in TL; gill opening at about middle of side; jaws with two rows of teeth, close-set and recurved outer row, inner row about twice as long; four median intermaxillary teeth, progressively longer posteriorly; conical vomerine teeth in single row (Ref. 90102).

Vertebrae: 114 - 118

Abundant on rubble areas of intertidal reef flats. Feeds on small crustaceans and probably on small fishes as well.

Abundant on rubble areas of intertidal reef flats. Feeds on small crustaceans and probably on small fishes as well. Also found in shallow reefs including tide pools (Ref 90102).

fisheries: of no interest

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起東非，東至薩摩亞，北至日本，南至澳洲大堡礁等海域。臺灣發現於南部、東部、北部、小琉球及蘭嶼。

體型小，幾乎無食用價值。可供飼養觀賞。

魚體較細長；眼睛瞳孔直徑較小。鰓孔前方之鰓位側線孔單個。頜齒雙列，內側者較大且數量較少，細針狀，頜間具有2-3顆較大且可倒伏的牙齒，其後方則排列有單列小型的鋤骨齒。脊椎骨數115-120。魚體由灰白至灰褐色，體表有許多深色交錯的網狀細紋；頭部腹側及魚體腹側顏色較淡。眼虹彩為白色，且虹彩上具有一深色的橫帶。

棲息於潮間帶或亞潮帶珊瑚岩礁海域，活動水深通常在3公尺以內。捕食小型無脊椎動物(如端腳類等)或魚類。夏季為主要的生殖季節，能多次產卵。生殖行為是由多尾雄鯙追逐單一尾雌鯙，雄鯙攫咬雌鯙的頭胸部，並以尾部扭纏雌魚的腹部，進而排放精卵，產下數百粒直徑約 3 mm 的浮性卵粒。在生殖季裏，雄鯙或種鯙間常彼此攻擊對方的頭部和尾部，在體表留下許多淡色的咬痕。

Uropterygius micropterus is a moray eel found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the tidepool snake moray, shortfin snake moray, or the shortfinned reef-eel.