Moray Eel - Muraenidae |
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Moray eels come in a variety of shapes, sizes and patterns & are often encountered by divers. They often hide their long, slender bodies in holes and crevices during the day, allowing only their head to protrude.
Because of the position of their gills they must open and close their mouths repeatedly to allow water to pass and facilitate breathing. This behaviour is often mistaken for aggression, but in reality most morays are shy and quick to retreat into their holes. If they feel threatened however, they are capable of inflicting a nasty bite, but only as a last resort.
Moray eels are a favourite for divers, especially the more colourful and flamboyant family members. |
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Moray Eels are a large family that come in many shapes, colours & sizes & are regularly encountered by divers. |
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 Morays are a large family with around 150 species in total. All individuals have a similar long thin, body shape, but markings and patterns can vary immensely.
Moray eels can range in size from the Golden Moray (Gymnothorax melatremus) measuring just 26cm long to the Giant Moray (Gymnotorax javanicus) that can measure up to 300cm long. |
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All Moray Eels are nocturnal hunters, using smell to track prey. |
Moray Eels are nearly all nocturnal hunters, feeding at night when their poor eyesight is less of a handicap and their acute sense of smell comes into its own.
They are territorial fish, spending their days resting in a hole sticking their heads out and rhythmically sucking water through their mouths to keep a flow of water passing their gills. They are usually solitary, although they do sometimes share their home with another moray. |
Moray eels are found throughout the world in both tropical and temperate waters.
Morays make their home in a range of underwater environments. Some species use burrows on a sand or mud bottom, some live along rocky shorelines and some seek a home in the rocks and crevices on coral reefs. They are bottom dwelling fish, rarely moving high in the water column.
Most Morays are opportunistic hunters, feeding at night & making the most of their long slender bodies to reach even the smallest nooks in the reef. They are restricted in the size of their prey as they cannot chew their food, so any prey must be able to fit through their jaws whole. It is though they sometimes go weeks at a time without choosing to eat, although it is not known why they do this.
Our knowledge of the breeding habits of morays is still very limited. A few species have been observed intertwining and releasing pelagic eggs, but it is unknown if this behaviour is replicated throught the family. Small juveniles are pelagic, settling on the substrate at a length of about 50mm depending on the species.
Moray Eels have sharp teeth and a powerful bite. Their teeth point slightly inwards, making it difficult for something to be released once it is has been bitten. Because of this sharp bite, Moray Eels have few predators, with only very large & hungry fish risking an attack.
The primary threat to Morays is us. Some larger morays are prized by people as food, however as Moray Eels are very high up the food chain, they often accumulate the poisonous ciguatoxin, making them potentially dangerous to eat.
Moray eels have a second set of jaws in their throat which also possess teeth. They are the only animal to use these jaws when feeding, grasping struggling prey and forcing it down their throat.
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- Giant Moray
- White Eyed Moray
- Ribbon Eel
- Golden Moray
- Honeycomb Moray
One of the largest Morays. Identified by its large size and dark brown-red coloration, with a pattern of mottled black spots. It is found throughout Asian Tropical waters and can be locally very common.
This species is easily recogniseable by its prominent large white eyes. They have rounded heads with relatively small teeth and are generally dark, developing mottled yellow spots on their bodies as they get older.
White Eyed Morays often share a hole with another moray. Small juveniles often have such un-proportional eyes they look as if they barely fit on their heads.
One of the most flamboyant and easily recognised Morays. They have very long, flattened, brightly coloured bodies. Juveniles are black with a bright yellow fin, while females are brilliant blue with a yellow fin and males are uniform yellow.
They are very rarely seen outside their holes, usually obverted reaching out of their burrows searching for a meal.
A small and rare moray found in only a few locations. It can not be mistaken for any other species due to its small size and bright golden yellow colouration.
A larger moray with a beautiful black and white honeycomb pattern. Juveniles have a yellow tinge to their heads that fades with age and larger black markings that get smaller as the eel grows.
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Identification
Behaviour
Popular Species