Two of the smallest are the Hawaiian dwarf Gymnothorax melatremus , which is about 12 inches long And the largest ever discovered Gymnothorax javanicus was 11 feet long 3. Moray eels prey primarily on smaller fish, including squid, octopus, damsel fish, cardinal fish, cuttlefish, and crustaceans. Known as ambush predators, moray eels wait for their prey vs. Morays are quite deadly. They actually have two sets of jaws.
One set is deep within their throat. The first set catches and holds the prey, then the second set is mobilized. Even though eels and snakes are not related on an evolutionary timeline, they do resemble each other in the way that they can eat large prey, despite having long, thin bodies. Moray eels are primarily nocturnal. We would see them more often on night dives vs.
However, Waldo had adapted to come out at all times of the day for free food. For the most part, moray eels are apex predators. However, barracudas, groupers, and sea snakes will eat smaller moray eels. Their decision to reproduce is more dependent on food and habitat conditions.
For instance, warm water increases the chances that they will mate. They are not known to be monogamous either. A female will lay her eggs in an area that seems safe from predators, then release an odor, which attracts the male. The male will then fertilize the eggs, which hatch in weeks. The hatched eggs become a clear larvae, which can drift in the ocean for as long as two years.
Instead, they rely more on their sense of smell and sensory perception of currents in the water. For one, they are known to hunt cooperatively with other fish, namely groupers. The grouper will chase its prey, and if the prey tries to hide inside a small cave or crevice, the grouper will alert or stir up a moray eel to chase the prey into the cave. By the same token, Waldo, the eel, learned to be docile with scuba divers because we fed him.
Whereas, moray eels who live in areas where they have little to no exposure to recreational divers can be more aggressive. In addition, moray eels do not take well to captivity, and have been known to stop eating while in captivity. Moray eels can be toxic to eat because, as apex predators, they are high on the food chain and can accumulate large amounts of toxins from eating other fish.
Furthermore, as apex predators, morays are an important part of the ecosystems where they live, keeping fish populations in balance. Marine ecosystems around the world are on the verge of collapsing due to the combined threat of over-fishing and climate change.
Thus, moray eels should not be considered as a food source for human beings. Because they can be found in so many places, there are plenty of diving opportunities to see moray eels.
While seeing them snorkeling can be far more difficult, sometimes snorkeling with dive boats will give you the chance. Here are some places to see moray eels in the wild. Visit Dive the World for more info. The green moray eel Gymnothorax funebris is classified as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List , and other species of morays are also considered to be doing well. And only species that have been evaluated by scientists can be placed on this list. However, some conservationists argue that we should not wait for animals to become endangered before we start protecting them.
Moray eels depend on the vitality of their natural habitats. So, you can help protect them by supporting organizations that focus on marine and coral reef conservation. Here are some organizations that are doing that. Hi Kristen, This is a great article, thank you for providing such a fascinating read. I believed he had died from a broken neck after falling from his horse in a storm. Hi Kylie, Thanks for your comment. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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About Contact. The moray eel is considered a "true" eel, classified in the order Anguilliformes. Like other true eels, the moray's dorsal fin begins just behind its head, extends along the length of its body and is fused with the caudal tail and anal fins.
The moray eel also lacks both pelvic and pectoral fins. The moray's muscular, scaleless body is laterally compressed flattened side to side , and this eel is often feared and mistaken for a sea serpent. Part of their vicious reputation may come from the fact that they habitually open and close their mouths, which shows off their sharp teeth.
Although this behavior may appear threatening, the eel is actually taking in water to breathe. The water passes over the gills and exits through vent-like openings at the back of the head. Learn more about the green moray eel! Did you know that green moray eels are often feared and mistaken for sea serpents? This species is one of the largest morays, with a maximum recorded length of 8 feet and weight of 65 pounds. Experience a 4D movie, explore behind the scenes, meet our experts and come face to face with amazing animals.
Despite the common use of moray eel as a specific type of eel, it is actually a family of eels that includes about species. The snowflake moray and zebra moray eels are the two most popular choices of species to keep in an aquarium. Moray eels are known for their slithering snake-like appearance, but they spend most of their time hiding in rocks and crevices. These snake-like creatures belong to the Class Actinopterygii, the ray-finned fishes.
These bony fish lack scales. Even though moray eels appear to be smooth, they do have fins! They have a dorsal fin that connects all the way to the caudal and anal fins giving the eels a mohawk appearance. The body of moray eels is covered in a mucus layer, and in some species, this mucus is toxic. The mucus is secreted by goblet cells and acts a protective barrier against abrasions from hiding out in the rocks.
Moray eels have very poor vision. They rely on chemoreception, a physiological response to chemical stimuli, to catch their food. The large nostrils also aid in sensing what is around them. Moray eels are nocturnal, thus good eyesight is not a necessity for these creatures.
A night dive in warm, shallow water will often allow you to witness the beauty of moray eels out swimming on the reef. Moray eels are very colorful. They can be black, gray, brown, yellow, green, blue, orange, or white. All these colors can appear as stripes, spots, or some other pattern on the eel. Some moray eels, such as the banded moray eel, can even change their colors to better camouflage. An interesting fact about the green moray eel is that is actually brown!
The mucus covering its body is what gives the green moray eel a green-like appearance. Moray eels can be found worldwide but are most commonly found in tropical and temperate waters.
Most moray eels are found in seawater, but some can be found in brackish water or even freshwater. Moray eels hide out in the crevices of reefs or wrecks, swimming out only to catch their prey or if they feel their space has been invaded.
Moray eels reproduce by fertilization that is oviparous, when eggs and sperm are fertilized in the water outside the womb, also known as spawning.
On average, female moray eels can release 10, eggs at a time.
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