Ribbon Eels

Description:

This was an interesting spotting for me as I managed to see the 3 colours variation of this Ribbon Eel on the same dive! Pic#1 is the compilation of all 3 colours side-by-side. Pic#2 - Black/Yellow colour is a Juvenile Pic#3 - Blue/Yellow colour is an adult Male Pic#4 - Blue turning to Yellow is an adult Female The ribbon eel, Rhinomuraena quaesita, or Bernis eel, is a species of moray eel, the only member of the genus Rhinomuraena. What is now known as Rhinomuraena quaesita also includes the former Rhinomuraena amboinensis. R. quaesita was used for blue ribbon eels and R. amboinensis for black ribbon eels, but these are now recognized as the same species. The ribbon eel is native to the Indo-Pacific ocean. The ribbon eel is an elegant creature bearing a resemblance to a mythical Chinese dragon with a long, thin body and high dorsal fins. The ribbon eel can easily be recognised by its expanded anterior nostrils. Juveniles and sub-adults are jet black with a yellow dorsal fin, while females are yellow with a black anal fin with white margins on the fins. The adult males are blue with a yellow dorsal fin. The ribbon eel grows to an overall length of approximately 1 m (3.3 ft), and has a life span of up to twenty years.[citation needed] The ribbon eel is the only moray eel that is protandric hermaphrodite (first male, then changing sex to female), although this has yet to be confirmed. Colour change related to sex change is not known from any other moray eel species

Habitat:

This eel is part of the moray eel group, and exhibits similar behavior to other moray eels. They are found with their heads exposed through reef rock, mouths usually open to aid in breathing. Blue ribbon eels don’t swim around much in the open but when they do, it makes a spectacular sight, like a swaying ribbon. They sit and wait for prey items to wander by.

Notes:

The ribbon eel comes in a few different colors, depending on age and gender. The juvenile ribbon eels are usually black with yellow dorsal fins. The adult males are blue with a yellow dorsal fin and yellow face. The adult females are green and yellow with white on the dorsal fin. These eels get to be about 3 feet long at maturity. Some blue ribbon eel specimens have reportedly made it to be 5 feet long, but this is uncommon. They are much thinner than some other moray eel species. This set of pictures were not taken by me but by a photographer diver that I was guiding during the dive and I asked to copy the pictures he took during the dives and for permission to use/post the spotting.