Ribbon Eel

Rhinomuraena quaesita

Habitat & Distribution :  Indian-Pacific Ocean

Diet : Small fish

Size : Up to 130 cm

Lifespan: 5 - 20 years

Deskription

The ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is a slender, 1–1.3 meter, ribbon-like moray eel known for dramatic color changes based on maturity: juveniles are black, males are vibrant blue with yellow fins, and females are bright yellow. They are distinguished by greatly expanded, flower-like anterior nostrils, a long dorsal fin, and a habit of frequently opening their mouths to breathe

Behavior

Ribbon eels (Rhinomuraena quaesita) are shy, colorful, and sexually dimorphic ambush predators found in Indo-Pacific reef rubble, known for living in the same burrow for months. They are protandric hermaphrodites, maturing from black (juvenile) to blue (male), and finally yellow (female). They are carnivores that constantly open their mouths to breathe, not to show aggression

Reproduction

Ribbon eels (Rhinomuraena quaesita) are protandric hermaphrodites, meaning they are all born male (black), turn into blue-and-yellow males as they mature, and finally transition into yellow females. After mating and laying eggs, the female dies within a month. Eggs float for about eight weeks before hatching into larvae

Communication & Perception

Ribbon eels (Rhinomuraena quaesita) communicate and perceive their environment primarily through specialized, highly developed chemical and tactile senses, navigating their world through touch, smell, and vibration rather than sight. Their communication is often non-verbal, involving chemical cues, and they are typically solitary, only interacting for mating

Predators

Groupers, Barracuda