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Giant moray
Gymnothorax javanicus
Valid name.
- English
- Giant moray
- Scientific
- Gymnothorax javanicus
- Dhivehi
- Kalhu ven
- Group
- Eels
- Family
- Muraenidae (moray eels)
- Maximum size
- Up to about 3 m and 30 kg
- Depth and habitat
- Reef crevices on lagoon and outer reefs, 0 to about 50 m
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2011
Description
The largest moray by weight: a heavy, brown eel covered in dark leopard-like spots, with a black patch around the gill opening. It hides in reef holes by day and hunts fish and crustaceans at night, mainly by smell. Its constant mouth-opening is breathing, not a threat. It sometimes hunts cooperatively with groupers, which flush fish into the moray's reach.
In the Maldives
Common on Maldivian reefs; large individuals are a regular sight at cleaning stations, with mouths open while cleaner wrasse and shrimps work inside.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Gymnothorax-javanicus.html
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=6380&GenusName=Gymnothorax&SpeciesNam
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Moray_eel_komodo.jpg
Dhivehi name source: FishBase common names (country: Maldives) (Latin only). No sourced Thaana spelling found.