61 photos - 27 species


Introduction


A large and diverse family (about 200 known species)

characterised by a large mouth with many teeth.

Many hunt openly in the water at night

and are hidden in the coral during the day, with only their heads sticking out.

They are all hunters who can smell very well but have poor eyesight.

Their size varies between 17 cm and 2.50 m depending on the species.


Echidna catenata

Chain moray

 Maximum length: 75 cm

Depth: 0 - 15 metres

Their whole body has a pale to bright yellow chain-like pattern,

yellow eyes and a strong body.

Native to shallow reefs with clear water.

Like other species, it hides during the day in crevices,

holes and niches where only its head is visible.

At night it goes in search of food.

Not shy, allows close approach.

Photos 1 - 3 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Echidna nebulosa

Snowflake moray or Clouded moray

 Maximum length: 70 cm

Depth: 1 - 15 m

A shallow-water species that also hunts during the day.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Echidna polyzona

Barred moray, Banded moray, Dark-banded eel, Girdled moray,

Girdled reef eel, Many banded moray eel, Ringed moray,

Ringed reef moray, Striped moray or Zebra eel

 Maximum length: 60 cm

Depth: 0 - 15 m

The dark bands recede with age.

Hides well in crevices during the day, comes out at night and hunts shrimps and crabs. 

Not aggressive, but shy.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Photos 2 - 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Enchelycore carychroa

Caribbean chestnut moray

 Maximum length: 33 cm

Depth: 1 - 30 m

Edges of the jaws with a row of white dots.

As the jaws are curved, only the tips touch when the mouth is closed.

Numerous pointed teeth are therefore always visible.

Rarely seen.

Shy, withdraws when approached.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Enchelycore nigricans

Mottled conger moray, Mulatto conger or Viper moray

 Maximum length: 30 - 75 cm

Depth: 1 - 30 m

Arched jaw, so that only the tips touch.

Numerous pointed teeth are visible.

Hidden during the day, foraging at night.

Shy, withdraws into the reef when approached.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnomuraena zebra

Zebra moray

 Maximum length: 1.50 m

Depth: 10 - 50 metres

This species can only be seen completely at night if you are lucky.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax breedeni

Blackcheek moray eel or Masked moray

 Maximum length: 70 cm

This species is very aggressive, it lives close to the top of reef

slopes where flagfish swarm and where it hunts them.

It will also scare away other bannerfish eaters, such as jackfish,

but also divers who are bold enough to come too close to its camp.

Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives


Gymnothorax chlamydatus

Banded mud moray eel

Maximum length: 70 cm

Depth: 8 - 30 m

Inhabits coasts with sandy to muddy bottoms.

Drills a hole in the sand by digging itself in tail-first.

It feeds mainly on rock shrimps, prawns, small fish, crabs and crustaceans.

Photos 1 - 4 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Gymnothorax eurostus

Abbott's moray eel or Stout moray

Maximum length: 40 cm

Depth: 2 - 25 m

Lives in crevices of coral reefs.

Has numerous small yellow spots that become larger towards the back.

Dark spots and blotches mainly cover the front body of this animal.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Gymnothorax favagineus

Laced moray, Leopard moray, Leopard moray eel, Tessellate moray

orr Honeycomb moray

 Maximum length: 2.5 m

Depth: 5 - 40 m

They have numerous dark spots surrounded by a thin white net pattern,

resulting in a honeycomb-like pattern.

Individual specimens can also be almost completely black.

Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives


Gymnothorax fimbriatus

Fimbriated moray, Dark-spotted moray or Spot-face moray

Maximum length: 40 cm

Depth: 10 - 50 m

Rare species that thrives where shrimps have established cleaning stations.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Photo 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi 


Gymnothorax flavimarginatus

Yellow-edged moray, Yellow-margin(ed) moray, Leopard moray

or Speckled moray

 Maximum length: 1.2

Depth: 3 - 60 metres

This species has strong teeth and hunts various reef fish at night.

They are rarely seen completely in the open.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Photo 2 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax funebris

Green moray

 Maximum length: 2.40 m

Depth: 3 - 35 m

Unicoloured green to brown, has a strong figure without any markings.

Native to reefs and bays, hides during the day in crevices,

holes and niches where only its head is visible.

At night it goes in search of food, where it can sometimes be seen at full length.

Not shy, close approach possible.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnothorax griseus

Geometric moray

 Maximum length: 65 cm

Depth: 1 - 30 metres

They are a medium sized moray eel species.

The body is light grey with yellowish spots.

Black dots form a striking line pattern on the darker head.

The body itself is, as with all moray eels, eel-like.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax javanicus

Giant moray

 Maximum length: 2.3 m

Depth: 10 - 50 m

Easily recognised by their leopard spot pattern.

Teeth are impressive.

Largest moray eel species.

Predominantly fish-eaters, occasionally crustaceans.

Unpredated attacks with serious injuries have been recorded.

The front teeth are long and pointed. 

Photos 1 - 4 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax meleagris

Turkey moray, Guineafowl moray or White-mouth/whitemouth moray

 Maximum length: 1.2 m

 Depth: 1 - 40 m

Characteristics: brightly coloured mouth.

Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives


Gymnothorax miliaris

Goldentail moray, Bastard eel or Conger moray

The rare yellow colour variant
The rare yellow colour variant
The rare yellow colour variant
The rare yellow colour variant

Maximum length: 60 cm

Depth: 2 - 15 metres

Brown in colour, with small yellow spots,

the tip of the tail is yellow to golden, the pupil has a yellow ring.

It is found in coral reefs, where it hides during the day in crevices,

holes and niches, where its head often pokes out.

At night it forages in the reef.

Not shy, allows approach.

Photos 1 - 2 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean

Photos 3 - 4 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnothorax moringa

Spotted moray

Maximum length: 1.20 m

Depth: 2 - 15 m

White to yellow basic colouring, covered with dark, regular and irregular spots.

Native to shallow reefs and seagrass beds.

During the day they hide in crevices, holes and niches, with only their heads sticking out.

It can be found at night when it is looking for food.

Not shy, allows close approach.

Photo 1 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean

Photos 2 - 3 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnothorax nudivomer

Starry moray or Yellowmouth moray

 Maximum length: 1.2 m.

Depth: 1 - 165 m

Inhabits caves singly or in pairs.

Its mouth is bright yellow on the inside.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax rueppelliae

Banded moray, Banded reef-eel, Rüppel's moray eel, Black barred eel,

Yellow-headed moray eel or Yellow-headed moray

 Maximum length: 55 cm

Depth: 3 - 30 metres

This moray eel is shy and mostly nocturnal.

Divers rarely see this species.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Gymnothorax saxicola

Ocellated moray or Honeycomb moray

 Maximum length 60 cm

Depth: 10 - 100 m

Numerous pale spots form a net-like pattern on the body.

Different body colours, cream to yellow, yellow-brown to brown tones.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnothorax thyrsoideus

Greyface moray eel, Freckled moray, Slender moray

or White-eyed moray

 Maximum length: 65 cm

Depth: 1 - 35 m

This species can be easily recognised by its clearly white eyes.

Photo 1 Astrid: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Photo 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Gymnothorax undulatus

Undulated moray

Juvenile
Juvenile

 Maximum length: 1.5 m

Depth: 1 - 30 m

Preferably between coral rubble, also in lagoons and outer reefs.

Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives

Photo 2 Johnny: El Quesir Egypt


Gymnothorax vicinus

Purplemouth moray eel

 Maximum length: 1.2 m

Depth: 3 - 12 m

Eyes bright yellow to golden.

Body colour yellowish mottled in brown tones.

During the day, hidden in niches with the head sticking out,

at night they can be found hunting outside.

Photos 1 - 2 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean


Gymnothorax zonipectis

Barred-fin moray or Bar-tail moray

 Maximum length: 46 cm

Depth: 6 - 30 m

Prefers reefs with rich coral growth.

Hidden during the day, hunting freely at night.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines

Photo 3 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Rhinomuraena quaesita

Ribbon eel, Leaf-nosed moray eel or Bernis eel

 Maximum length: 120 cm

Depth: 1 - 55 m

Lives hidden in the sand or between coral rubble, with only the head sticking out.

This moray eel species is a protandric hermaphrodite.

This means that the individuals reach sexual maturity as males

and later change sex to become females.

During this change, they change colour. Males turn black,

females blue with bright yellow fins, old females then turn completely yellow.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Photo 3 Astrid: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Scuticaria tigrina

Tiger reef-eel, Tiger snake moray, Tiger moray eel, Tiger moray

Tiger eel, Spotted eel or Spotted snake moray

 Maximum length: 1.2 m

Depth: 5 - 20 m

Pale brown to pale yellowish body with numerous large and small dark brown,

irregularly rounded spots.

Teeth slender and sharp.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt