About Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker, 1859)
Gymnothorax javanicus, commonly known as the giant moray, is a large species of eel. As its common name suggests, it reaches a maximum length of just over 3 meters (10 feet) and a maximum weight of 30 kilograms (66 pounds). It has an elongated, brownish body. Juvenile giant morays are tan with large black spots, while adult individuals have black specks that develop into leopard-like spots behind the head. The giant moray is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from the eastern coast of Africa (including the Red Sea) east to the Pitcairn group, Hawaiian Islands, and Polynesia, north to southern Japan, and south to New Caledonia, Fiji, and the Austral Islands. This species inhabits lagoons and the outer slopes of coral reefs. During the day, it takes shelter in crevices at depths between 1 and 50 meters.
