Moray eels - Rays - Rombous

Common morays (Muraena helena): Encountering a moray is a rare event, even if it is described as "common"! A large specimen lives in the rocks of the Maison de Suède and I am sometimes lucky enough to see it. With even more luck, the moray may be hunting and I see it moving among the rocks. If it spots me, it hides and slowly comes out from under its rock if I stay very still for a while. The head is small compared to the body: the first time I saw its head sticking out of a rock I thought I had found a new tiny fish... what a surprise to see what was behind that head! I think we can say without lying that it has a rather ugly face... A smaller moray also lives on the same group of rocks at La Croisette and I have also seen some at La Grande Pointe. I remain cautious and do not put my hands in hollows of rocks because the bite of moray eels is quite annoying.

Rays: I saw two types, and only once for each. The Common Stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca), which has a venomous spine, was in the swimming area at La Croisette in 2020. The Black Torpedo (Topedo nobiliana), an electric ray, was at Grande Pointe, in the swimming area in 2024. These two rays were small and must have strayed!

The Rombous (Bothus podas): This fish, visible only on sandy bottoms, is reminiscent of a sole with its flat shape, its two eyes on the same side (strange!) and its crooked mouth, but it has characteristic patterns on its body that differentiate it. These are small irregular white circles. It blends in perfectly with the bottom and is only really visible when it moves. It is quite common and I see some every year at La Croisette and La Grande Pointe.