Photo copyright Tim Nicholson.
Taken in the Southern Egyptian Red Sea.
Giant Moray Eel, Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker)
This photo shows a Giant Moray being cleaned by a wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
The largest of the moray eels, growing up to 3 m. Quite common and always interesting to observe. Feeds primarily on fish, occasionally on crustaceans and octopus. Morays live in holes and generally hunt by night. You may see them rhythmically opening and closing their mouths. They do this to maintain a respiratory current past the gills. Morays undergo a sex change during growth, changing from male to female.
Back to the Red Sea Photos...
More Moray Eel Photos are on page 2 of our gallery and in our Google+ Moray Eel album...
Further Reading:
Coral Reef Fishes, Indo-Pacific and Caribbean
, by Ewald Lieske and Robert Myers
The Red Sea, by Andrea Ghisotti
Underwater Photographer
, by Martin Edge
