Image: Morena gigante (Gymnothorax javanicus), Ras Katy, Sharm el-Sheij, Egipto, 2022-03-26, DD 83

Description: Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) surrounded by net fire coral (Millepora dichotoma), Ras Katy, Sharm el-Sheikh, Red Sea, Egypt. This species of marine fish is the largest moray eel in terms of body mass (the slender giant moray is the largest in terms of body length, though). The giant moray can reach up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 30 kg (66 lb) in weight. While juveniles are tan in color with large black spots, adults have black specks that grade into leopard-like spots behind the head. It's widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, being found from eastern coast of Africa, Red Sea included, until the Pitcairn group, Hawaiian islands and also Polynesia. North to south Japan and south to New Caledonia, Fiji and the Austral Islands. It lives in lagoons and on the outer slopes of coral reefs. During the day, it sits sheltered in crevices between 1 and 50 meters deep. The giant moray is carnivorous (feeds on fish and occasionally on crustaceans) and nocturnal, hunting its prey within the reef. It is known to engage in cooperative hunting with the roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus). These two fish species are complementary hunters: While the eel hunts in the reef, it may scare prey up and out of the reef, leaving them to be eaten by the grouper. Similarly, the grouper hunting above the reef may cause prey to attempt to seek refuge in the reef, where the moray may ambush them.
Title: Morena gigante (Gymnothorax javanicus), Ras Katy, Sharm el-Sheij, Egipto, 2022-03-26, DD 83
Credit: Own work
Author: Diego Delso
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Attribution Required?: Yes