Ribbon Eel
Ribbon Eel
Rhinomuraena quaesita
UncommonMuraenidaeHarmless
ID points
- Front nostrils flare open into leaf-like petals
- Juveniles jet black, males blue and yellow, females all yellow
- Body extremely thin, like a drifting ribbon
Basics
- Family
- Muraenidae
- Length
- 80–120 cm
- Depth
- 1-60 m
- Regions
- Indo-Pacific reefs
- Distribution
- Holes in the sandy bottoms of Indo-Pacific coral reefs
- Habitat
- Reef holes in sandy bottoms
- Diet
- Small fish
Easily confused with
Moray EelSnake-like body with no pectoral or pelvic fins
Undulated MorayYellow-green wavy net pattern on a dark brown ground
Dragon MorayOrange-red ground densely covered in white spots, intensely colouredFun fact
The ribbon eel is an unusual protandrous hermaphrodite. Juveniles are jet black with a yellow dorsal fin, adult males turn a brilliant blue and yellow, and later in life the fish becomes an all yellow female, so a single animal wears three colour schemes in one lifetime.