Species Kingdom

Animalia

Species Class

Species Order

Echidna nebulosa (Ahl, 1789)

Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0; Vertebrae: 119 - 126. Body white with 2 rows of large dendritic black blotches; black spots between blotches become irregularly linear with age. Yellow eyes (Ref. 48635).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Muraenidae

Genus: Echidna

Species: Echidna nebulosa (Ahl, 1789)

Climate Zone

Tropical

Location

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa (Ref. 33390) and Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964) to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to Lord Howe Island; throughout Micronesia. Eastern Central Pacific: southern Baja California, Mexico and from Costa Rica to northern Colombia (Ref. 9324). Also found in Southeast Atlantic.

Biology

Found between rocks and corals of intertidal reef flats, also in shallow lagoon and seaward reefs to depths of at least 10 m (Ref. 9710, 58302). Benthic (Ref. 58302). Nocturnal (Ref. 68964). Feed mainly on crustaceans. Protogynous hermaphroditism unconfirmed for this species (Ref. 84746). Safely kept with small aquarium fishes (Ref. 9710). Solitary, seen usually in the open or with only head exposed (Ref 90102). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 86942.

Habitat

associated