Leopard eel washes ashore at Surathkal

Surathkal: A rare deep-sea fish known as Leopard Moray Eel or Honeycomb Eel was found washed ashore at Guddekopla beach near Surathkal.

A local resident told the newspaper that the eel was around 3 to 4 feet in length.

The eel is known as Aroli in Kannada, and Marajna in Tulu language. According to Rohit Mendon Kodavoor of Malpe, it is rarely caught near Malpe. The locals do not consume the marine species as it is considered to be slightly poisonous.

The leopard eel (Gymnothorax favagineus) is usually found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. It features a distinctive tessellated pattern with dark spots on a pale yellow body, providing excellent camouflage among coral reefs and rocky habitats.

Mostly nocturnal, it hunts small fish and crustaceans using sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Though generally shy, the eel may defend itself if threatened. The eel can reach a maximum length of 300 cm.