Honeycomb Moray
Gymnothorax favagineus
The honeycomb moray is a tropical fish with a long cream-colored body with black or brown blotches in a distinct honeycomb pattern. At night, this ambush predator hunts small fish and cephalopods in the coral reefs.
Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific / Ken Kurtis
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Honeycomb Moray
Gymnothorax favagineus
CONSERVATION STATUS: Safe for Now
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
Geographic Distribution
The honeycomb moray can be found across the western Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Southern Japan, and south to Australia.
Habitat
The honeycomb moray lives around reefs and rocks along coasts to depths of over 35 meters (115 feet). They can also be found in brackish waters.
Physical Characteristics
Honeycomb moray eels are white or cream to yellowish in color with dark brown or black blotch-like markings that form a honeycomb pattern. They have a long snake-like body with no pectoral or pelvic fins. Their dorsal fin runs the length of their whole body.
Size
Average size: 0.8 meters (2.6 feet)
Diet
This nocturnal (active at night) ambush predator primarily hunts small fish and cephalopods like octopus.
Reproduction
Honeycomb morays reproduce by spawning. Female eels lay eggs and the male fertilizes them externally.
Behavior
They prefer caves and other hiding spots like the slopes of reefs during the day. Large adults can be territorial.
Adaptation
The honeycomb moray eel’s body shape allows it to move through narrow spaces which makes it ideal to hide in caves and crevices in coral reefs. Generally, Moray eels have a pharyngeal jaw, and a second set of teeth located in their throat that allows them to better grasp and swallow their prey.
Conservation
The honeycomb moray’s wide range overlaps numerous marine protected areas. They are listed as an animal of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Special Notes
Like other eels, they don’t have pelvic or pectoral fins. Their dorsal fin runs the length of their body! They are actually fish that have no scales!
SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry
Honeycomb Moray
Gymnothorax favagineus
CONSERVATION STATUS: Safe for Now
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
The honeycomb moray can be found across the western Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Southern Japan, and south to Australia.
The honeycomb moray lives around reefs and rocks along coasts to depths of over 35 meters (115 feet). They can also be found in brackish waters.
Honeycomb moray eels are white or cream to yellowish in color with dark brown or black blotch-like markings that form a honeycomb pattern. They have a long snake-like body with no pectoral or pelvic fins. Their dorsal fin runs the length of their whole body.
Average size: 0.8 meters (2.6 feet)
This nocturnal (active at night) ambush predator primarily hunts small fish and cephalopods like octopus.
Honeycomb morays reproduce by spawning. Female eels lay eggs and the male fertilizes them externally.
They prefer caves and other hiding spots like the slopes of reefs during the day. Large adults can be territorial.
The honeycomb moray eel’s body shape allows it to move through narrow spaces which makes it ideal to hide in caves and crevices in coral reefs. Generally, Moray eels have a pharyngeal jaw, and a second set of teeth located in their throat that allows them to better grasp and swallow their prey.
The honeycomb moray’s wide range overlaps numerous marine protected areas. They are listed as an animal of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Like other eels, they don’t have pelvic or pectoral fins. Their dorsal fin runs the length of their body! They are actually fish that have no scales!