The zebra moray (''Gymnomuraena zebra'') is a species of marine
fish in the
family Muraenidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Gymnomuraena'', though it sometimes has been included in ''
Echidna'' instead.
Description
The zebra moray is considered as a medium-sized fish even if it can reach a maximum length of 150 cm.
However, the average size commonly observed is more of the order of 50 cm.
It is densely banded dark and whitish, giving rise to its common name.
Its snout is round and short.
Distribution and habitat
The zebra moray is widespread throughout the
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth.
In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...
area from eastern coast of
Africa until western coast of the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
, including the
Red Sea,
Hawaii and
Galápagos.
The zebra moray is a
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
fish, its favorite habitat corresponds to the rocky or coral reef on coastal shallow water up to 40 meters deep.
Biology
''Gymnomuraena zebra'' has a nocturnal activity and actively hunt its prey. Unlike most other moray eels, it feeds exclusively on
crustaceans,
sea urchins
Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...
and
mollusks.
[Kuiter, R. H. and T. Tonozuka, 2001. ''Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes''. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae – Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 pp.]
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q169482
Muraenidae
Marine fauna of the Gulf of California
Western Central American coastal fauna
Galápagos Islands coastal fauna
Fish of Hawaii
Fish described in 1797