Spotted Moray Eel

Photo: Arial Simpson · © all rights reserved

Spotted moray eels are abundant in the crevices and overhangs of Trumpet Reef's upper wall, with multiple individuals often visible on a single dive. They are important predators of fish and crustaceans and their open-mouthed breathing — often mistaken for aggression — is simply the way they pump water over their gills. Cleaning stations on the reef attract morays regularly, where small shrimp and wrasses pick parasites from their bodies in a striking display of interspecies cooperation.