The barred moray (Echidna polyzona), also known as the banded moray, the dark-banded eel, the girdled moray, the girdled reef eel, the many banded moray eel, the ringed moray, the ringed reef moray, the striped moray and the zebra eel,[3]) is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae.[4] It was described by John Richardson in 1845, originally under the genus Muraena. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesan Islands, the Tuamotus Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. It dwells at a depth range of 2 to 20 metres (6.6 to 65.6 ft), and leads a benthic lifestyle in reefs and shallow lagoons. Males can reach a maximum total length of 72.3 centimetres (28.5 in).[4] It is sometimes confused with the Zebra moray (Gymnomuraena).
The barred moray's diet consists of shrimp such as Saron marmoratus, crabs, isopods, and polychaetes,[5][6] which it feeds on during both day and night. It is of commercial interest to both subsistence fisheries and the aquarium trade.[4]
References
- ^ Smith, D.G.; McCosker, J.; Tighe, K. (2019). "Echidna polyzona". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T166929A1153330. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T166929A1153330.en. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ Synonyms of Echidna polyzona st www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Common names of Echidna polyzona at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Echidna polyzona". FishBase. June 2006 version.
- ^ Food items reported for Echidna polyzona at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ "Food and Feeding Habits Summary - Echidna polyzona". FishBase.org. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
External links
- Photos of Barred moray on Sealife Collection
