The laced moray (Gymnothorax favagineus), also known as the leopard moray, leopard moray eel, tessellate moray or honeycomb moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.
Gymnothorax favagineus is a large moray which can reach a maximum length of 3 metres (10 feet), but specimens usually encountered are much smaller.[1]
Its body is serpentine in shape, with a white to yellowish background color dotted with numerous black spots. These spots vary in size and shape depending on the individual and on the environment in which the animals live:[2] morays living on a reef with clear water will have fewer black spots than those living in a turbid environment.[3] This characteristic color pattern is the source of its vernacular name.
The laced moray is widespread throughout the Indo-West Pacific area from eastern coast of Africa, Red Sea included, to Papua New Guinea and from southern Japan to the Great Barrier Reef.[4] [5]
It lives on the outer slopes of coral reefs. During the day, it sits sheltered in crevices between 1 and 45 meters (3 and 150 feet) deep.[6]
The laced moray is carnivorous. It leaves its lair at night to actively hunt its prey along the reef.It feeds mainly on small fish and cephalopods.[7] Large adults are prone to be aggressive in the wild.[8]