Giant Moray Brown Colored And Blue Spotted Coral Hind In Indian Ocean Stock Image

Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) brown colored and blue spotted coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata) in Indian Ocean. It is a species of moray eel and a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae. In terms of body mass, it is the largest moray eel. As the name suggests, the giant moray is a large eel, reaching up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 30 kg (66 lb) in weight. Its elongated body is brownish in color. While juveniles are tan in color with large black spots, adults have black specks that grade into leopard-like spots behind the head. The giant moray is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region. It is carnivorous and nocturnal, hunting its prey within the reef. The giant moray mainly feeds on fish and occasionally on crustaceans. This species may be hazardous to people. Being at the top of the food chain, it has been known to exhibit biomagnification of harmful ciguatera toxins. Photographed at snorkeling, Fihalhohi Island, Maldives, October 2018