Bony fish · Anguilliformes · Muraenidae

Moray Eel

Muraena helena

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Mediterranean moray is an anguilliform fish of the family Muraenidae. No subspecies are recognised.

Weight

up to 6.5 kg

Size

up to 1.5 m

Lifespan

38 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Fun facts

It is nocturnal and territorial: it spends the day in a crevice with its head protruding and comes out to hunt at dusk.
It rarely attacks unless provoked, despite its appearance and its teeth.

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment: Rocky bottoms and reefs of the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, between 1 and 800 m although usually between 100 and 300 m; it shelters in crevices and hollows
Sexual maturity: Length at first maturity 75.5 cm, from 69 cm onwards

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muraena_helena