Laced moray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laced moray |
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The laced moray (Gymnothorax favagineus) is a type of large marine fish. It is also known as the leopard moray or honeycomb moray. This fish belongs to the moray eel family.
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About the Laced Moray
The laced moray is a very long fish. It can grow up to 300 centimeters (about 10 feet) long! But most morays you might see are much smaller.
What Does It Look Like?
Its body looks like a snake. It has a white or yellowish color. This background is covered with many black spots. The size and shape of these spots can change. This depends on the individual moray. It also depends on where the moray lives.
For example, morays living in clear reef waters might have fewer black spots. Those living in murky (cloudy) environments might have more. Its unique spotted pattern gives it names like "leopard moray" or "honeycomb moray."
Where Laced Morays Live
The laced moray lives in the Indo-West Pacific ocean. You can find it from the eastern coast of Africa (including the Red Sea) all the way to Papua New Guinea. It also lives from southern Japan down to the Great Barrier Reef.
Their Home in the Ocean
This moray lives on the outer slopes of coral reefs. During the day, it hides. It finds shelter in cracks and crevices. These hiding spots are usually between 1 and 45 meters (about 3 to 148 feet) deep.
Laced Moray Behavior and Diet
The laced moray is a carnivore. This means it eats other animals. It leaves its hiding spot at night. Then, it actively hunts for food along the reef.
What Do They Eat?
Laced morays mainly eat small fish. They also hunt cephalopods, like squid or octopus. Very large adult morays can be quite protective in the wild. It's always best to observe them from a safe distance.
See also
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Gymnothorax favagineus" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
In Spanish: Morena de puntos negros para niños
