Yellow edged moray

Family: Moray Eels (Muraenidae)

Size: Up to 1.2 m (4 ft) | Common: 80 cm

Depth: 2 – 150m (6 – 490ft)

Distribution: Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific (Costa Rica to Ecuador, including Galapagos).

Identification:
A robust and heavily built eel, often looking quite grumpy.

• Color: The body is yellowish-brown, covered in dense dark mottling that looks like a leopard print. The front of the head is usually a distinct dark purple or blackish color.
• The "Yellow Edge": It gets its name from the bright lime-green or yellow margin that runs along the rear edge of the dorsal and tail fins.
• Eyes: They often have striking orange or reddish eyes.

Behavior:
One of the bolder eels on the reef.

• Temperament: They can be inquisitive and less shy than other species. They are known to hold their ground rather than retreat deep into holes.
• Hunting: Like most morays, they hunt fish and crustaceans at night, but they are occasionally seen swimming freely across the reef during the day.