The leopard moray eel (Enchelycore pardalis), also known as the tiger moray eel, dragon moray or puhi-kauila in Hawaiian, is a species of moray eel of the family Muraenidae.[1]
| Leopard moray eel | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Muraenidae |
| Genus: | Enchelycore |
| Species: | E. pardalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Enchelycore pardalis | |
Distribution and habitat
editThe leopard moray eel is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific oceans from Réunion to the Hawaiian, Line and Society Islands, north to southern Japan, southern Korea, and south to New Caledonia.[1] The Leopard Moray eel inhabits coral and rocky reefs from shallow coastal waters to deeper reef slopes between 5 and 60 m in depth.[2] It typically shelters in reef crevices during the day and hunts for prey at night.
Description
editThe leopard moray has a long, slender body and no pelvic or pectoral fins. It grows up to 92 cm (36 in) in length[3] and is characterized by its narrow, curved jaws, and elongated tubular nostrils. It has very vivid coloration, with white, reddish brown, and dark brown spots across its body. These spots vary in shape, size, and length. The leopard moray has vivid red stripes on and around its face. Due to its bright coloration, the leopard moray is easily identifiable and rarely confused for other species.[4] It is primarily nocturnal and has a preference for cryptic habitats feeding primarily on fishes and small cephalopods.[5]
Feeding Behaviors
editThe leopard moray eel exhibits two distinct feeding behaviors: rotation and knotting. Rotation is the eel spinning its whole body on a longitudinal axis while tearing chunks of flesh from prey. It also controls the prey by preventing it from resisting. Knotting is the eel moving its body to create a loop, and passing its tail through the loop to form a knot. Knotting allows the leopard moray to feed on a wider range of prey, as it helps with eating larger prey of when the eel faces resistance from prey. Knotting behaviors include constriction, which can allow the eel to consume its prey whole or suffocate it, or the eel taking pieces out of the prey, similar to rotation. To begin feeding, the leopard moray strikes at prey, either successfully or unsuccessfully catching it. If it is successful, it will engage in its other feeding behaviors.[6]
References
edit- 1 2 "Enchelycore pardalis, Leopard moray eel : Aquarium".
- ↑ Allen, G.R. and R.C. Steene, 1988. Fishes of Christmas Island Indian Ocean. Christmas Island Natural History Association, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, 6798, Australia. 197 p.
- ↑ Randall, J.E., 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 720 p.
- ↑ Böhlke, Eugenia B.; Randall, John E. (2000). "A Review of the Moray eels (Angulliformes: Muraenidae) of the Hawaiian Islands, with Descriptions of Two New Species". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 150: 203–278. ISSN 0097-3157.
- ↑ Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
- ↑ Miller, Tracy J. (1989). "Feeding Behavior of Echidna nebulosa, Enchelycore pardalis, and Gymnomuraena zebra (Teleostei: Muraenidae)". Copeia. 1989 (3): 662–672. doi:10.2307/1445493. ISSN 0045-8511.
External links
edit
Wang, F. Y.; Fu, W.; Yan, H. Y. (2011). "Visual adaptations in four species of moray eels (Muraenidae): correlations with ecology and behaviour". Vision Research. 51 (10): 1179–1185. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2011.03.006.
Barley, S. C.; Meekan, M. G. (2016). "To knot or not? Novel feeding behaviours in moray eels". Coral Reefs. 35 (3): 977–981. doi:10.1007/s00338-016-1454-9.
Eels (Morays and snake eels) – SWAP species group account (PDF) (Report). Division of Forestry & Wildlife, State of Hawaiʻi. 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
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