Common name: Banded Moray Eel, Barred Moray Eel
Scientific name: Echidna polyzona
Family: Muraenidae (Moray eels)
Type: Marine ray-finned fish (eel-like)
Slender, elongated body with alternating dark brown/black and light yellowish/white bands running across its length.
Bands are broad and irregular, giving a barred or “zebra-like” pattern.
Reaches about 70 cm (28 in) in length.
Has the typical blunt snout of the genus Echidna, adapted for crushing prey rather than tearing.
Found in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, East Africa, Micronesia, Polynesia, and Japan.
Prefers coral reefs, rocky areas, and lagoons at depths from 1–40 m (3–130 ft).
Often hides in reef crevices during the day, with only its head protruding.
Nocturnal predator. Comes out at night to forage.
Feeds mainly on crustaceans (crabs, shrimp) and sometimes mollusks.
Uses blunt, molar-like teeth to crush hard shells rather than sharp teeth for fish.
Generally solitary and territorial.
Specimen is 8"
