hass's garden eel

This Hass's garden eel typically measures around 40 centimeters, with individuals possibly reaching 60 centimeters. It is easily recognizable by its two large black patches, the first circular one located behind the gills, and the second, flatter one present at the end of the first quarter of the body.

The body is beige to yellowish, covered with small black spots. A similar species is found in Indonesia and around the Great Barrier Reef: H. taylori. The pattern is similar but it lacks the large black patches.

During the day, each Hass's garden eel resides in a permanent burrow, with part of its body protruding to capture aquatic microorganisms brought by the current. When potential predators or large animals pass by, individuals retreat to the bottom of the burrow. Common predators may include certain sparids.

Each fish has a certain level of autonomy, but group behaviors are likely, at least for alerting in case of danger. Colonies of several hundred individuals have been observed.

Reproduction seems to occur when the light is low, enhancing the survival chances of the eggs. Little information is known about this particularly timid species. Spawning likely takes place outside the burrow, between a male and a female located in two adjacent burrows. The eggs are fertilized in close proximity to the two burrows and then carried away by the current.

For a while, scientists hypothesized that eggs and larvae developed in the substrate, within the colony itself, but this assumption is now universally recognized as invalid.