Whitemouth moray

Photo: Terry M · CC BY-NC

One of Hawaii's most abundant moray species, the whitemouth moray reaches over a metre in length and is a dominant predator of small fish and crustaceans inside the lava tubes. Its spotted pattern provides effective camouflage against the encrusting organisms on basalt walls, and it often shares crevices with cleaner shrimp that service its skin and gill openings. Morays play a key role in reef food webs as nocturnal hunters that complement daytime predators, collectively suppressing prey populations around the clock.