Mediterranean Moray - Muraena helena - Emerging from a Rocky Crevice

A Mediterranean Moray emerges from a rocky crevice, its open jaws and striking pale marbling clearly visible.

The Mediterranean Moray (Muraena helena) has a long, muscular, eel-shaped body with no pectoral fins, a large head and a powerful mouth lined with sharp teeth. Its colour varies from dark brown to almost black, patterned with irregular pale yellow, cream or whitish mottling that provides effective camouflage among rocks. The mouth is frequently held open as the moray pumps water across its gills for respiration. This nocturnal and territorial species usually shelters in holes, caves and rocky crevices during the day and emerges to hunt fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. It is widespread throughout the Mediterranean and can reach about 150 centimetres in length, although around 80 centimetres is more typical.