Science on Tap: From prey detection to prey capture, let's go on a foray with the morays!

Elongated and toothy, moray eels are uniquely specialized to forage within the tight, twisting crevices of rocky reefs. Join us as we go on a foraging journey with the California moray (Gymnothorax mordax), a top predator off the coast of Southern California! We will begin with prey detection and location, exploring how these eels use different senses to find prey - both underwater and, surprisingly, on land (yes, they can wriggle up onto rocks in the intertidal!). Once prey is found, morays can use their length and flexibility in creative ways to help consume prey, even tying themselves into knots to gain leverage and pull food out from a rocky crevice. By studying how these fascinating predators sense and capture prey, we can get a glimpse into the secret inner world of the rocky reef.

Speaker: Maya McElfish, UC Santa Cruz

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