CIBED - - Spotted Snake-eel

Myrichthys maculosus Spotted Snake-eel Kākākuru ^RR

f.OPHICHTHIDAE Snake-eels

Myrichthys maculosus Spotted Snake-eel Kākākuru ^RR

f.OPHICHTHIDAE Snake-eels

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesSpotted Snake‑eel ^EN Tiger Snake‑eel ^EN Gefleckter Schlangenaal ^DE Anguille‑serpent Maculé ^FR

Local NamesKākākuru^RR Pu‘i Kōtuku^MG Pui ‘Ōvī^AT ‘Ōvī Tai^MK,MT Pīpīkōiro^AK No Name^TNs,TNw

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesMyrichthys maculosus (accepted name) , Muraena maculosa

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, spc.Fishes, c.Bony Fishes, f.Snake-eels - Eel

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.PISCES, c.OSTEICHTHYES, o.Anguilliformes, so.Congroideii, f.OPHICHTHIDAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR?MG⁺⁺⁺AT?MK⁺MT^PAK?PL?MN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN?MH?RK?PK^-NS?SW^P

VouchersMG¹⁹⁸¹ SW¹⁹⁹⁹

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: e.Africa - Marquesas; n. to s.Japan; s. to Lord Howe - Rapa;

HabitatAquatic; Marine; Nearshore, Reef-flat

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationTo 100cm TL.

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 3
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BB075_Myri-macu_

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Adult

Adult - dead; full body

Adult, Rarotonga

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Spotted Snake-eel ^EN Tiger Snake-eel^EN Gefleckter Schlangenaal^DE Anguille-serpent Maculé^FR

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

Kākākuru^RR Pu‘i Kōtuku^MG Pui ‘Ōvī^AT ‘Ōvī Tai^MK,MT Pīpīkōiro^AK No Name^TNs,TNw

National Name: Kākākuru ^RR

Island	Status	Main name
National name	RR	Kākākuru
Rarotonga		Kākākuru
Mangaia	+++	Pu‘i Kōtuku
Ātiu		Pui ‘Ōvī
Ma‘uke	+	‘Ōvī Tai
Miti‘āro	P	‘Ōvī Tai
Aitutaki		Pīpīkōiro
Palmerston		?P,?N
Tongareva-write		P,nN
Tongareva-speak		P,nN
Manihiki		?P,?N
Rakahanga		?P,?N
Pukapuka	-	A,nN
Nassau		?P,?N

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Absent

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga
Mangaia	+++
Ātiu
Ma‘uke	+
Miti‘āro	Present
Aitutaki
Palmerston
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	Absent
Nassau
Suwarrow	Present

Note: Common, S.Group and N.Group. PLUS: Sometimes called Ovi (snake).

Vouchers for:
Myrichthys maculosus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia _____ 1981 9uc not classified Listed (Clerk81).

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka

Nassau

Suwarrow _____ 1999 2fs fieldspecimen field ID N.Sims (Sims EIA99).

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.23 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Myrichthys maculosus

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Synonyms

Vouchers for: Myrichthys maculosus

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