| Leopard moray eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Muraenidae |
| Genus: | Enchelycore |
| Species: | E. pardalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Enchelycore pardalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) |
|
The leopard moray eel, dragon moray eel or Hawaiian dragon eel, Enchelycore pardalis, is a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, found in the Indo-Pacific oceans from Réunion to the Hawaiian, Line and Society islands, north to southern Japan and southern Korea, and south to New Caledonia, at depths of between 1 and 60 m. Its length is up to 92 cm. This eel is characterized by its narrow, curved jaws, vivid red stripes on the head, and elongated tubular nostrils.
This eel inhabits coral and rocky reefs, and is common in warm-temperate waters. It is chiefly nocturnal; because of this and its preference for cryptic habitats, it is seldom seen. It feeds primarily on fishes and small cephalopods.
This species is usually referred to as the leopard moray, referring to its specific name pardalis, or in the US pet trade, the Dragon Moray.