Splendid Garden Eel

Gorgasia preclara is a species of marine garden eel.

Description

The splendid garden eel is a medium-sized fish, up to 40 cm maximum length. Its body has a circular shape with a diameter of about 10 mm. Its body color is yellow to orange with characteristic white bands.

Distribution and habitat

G. preclara is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area from the Maldives to the Papua New Guinea and north to Ryukyu, Japanese archipelagos, and south to the Philippines. It occurs in sandy areas exposed to currents at depths between 18 and 75 m, but is usually observed at an average depth of 30 m.

Biology

The splendid garden eel lives in a buried tube in the sand either alone or in small groups. Typically, only its head and uppermost body protrudes from the sand, and it will retreat entirely if approached by large fish or divers. They feed on drifting plankton.