Reefmaw

About

Common Names

Reefmaw / Gouger Eels

Classification

Fish

Reefmaws are a type of eel found in coral reefs. They are named mostly for their large mouths, and fearsome bite.

Description

Size

23 kg (50 pounds), 2 m ( 6 feet 6 inches)

Appearance

Reefmaws have a long body with a dorsal fin running the full length. There heads are wedge shaped, and slightly wider than their body. They have wide mouth with serrated teeth, and a secondary pharyngeal jaw, which drags prey in for a deeper bite. They have a peebled grey/brown appearance, and have a pair of forward facing yellow eyes.

Sexual Dimorphism

Male Reefmaws have a distinct red colour to their dorsal fin. there is no significant difference is size or other features between the sexes.

Variance

Ecology

Habitat

Saltwater, Coral Reefs, Rocky Shoals.

Diet

Reefmaws eat a variety of smaller fish, and crustaceans found in their habitat. They are also known to attack and bite large chunks out of larger creatures.

Behaviour

Social Grouping

Solitary or as mated pairs during spawning season.

Temperament

Very aggressive, highly territorial towards other large marine animals.

Intelligence

Animal

Reproduction

Reefmaws will pair up once per year and brood a clutch of up to 50 eggs. The young fry will stay near their parents until they are large enough to properly hunt on their own, at which time the parent will chase them away from their territory.

Attacks

Even larger creatures learn to avoid the established territory of a reefmaw, as the eels will lunge and bite creatures of any size that intrudes to close to their nest. Once a bite has securely landed, the reefmaw will roll in a spiralling manner and rip a large chunk of flesh from the intruder. Many large marine animals, and even people have died from the shock and blood loss of such savage injuries.

Notable Sub-Species

Common Reefmaw

Regular reefmaw found in warm waters in and around coral reefs.

Lesser Reefmaw

A much smaller sub-species of this eel which is found in colder waters near rocky shoals, and other suitable nesting sites. Visually they appear somewhat green in colouration, but otherwise resemble other reefmaws, including the red fin on males.

Domestication

General

No effort has been made to domesticate these creatures.

Resources

• Meat - The young eels are sometime specifically trapped for food.
• Oil - The livers of adult reefmaws contain oils with some medicinal value.