Moray eel

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Moray eels are large cosmopolitan eels of the family Muraenidae. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera, the largest being the slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) at up to 4 m (13 feet) in length. Most morays measure in at 1.5 m (5 feet) in length.

Moray eels frequent tropical and subtropical coral reefs to depths of 200 m, where they spend most of their time crammed inside crevices and alcoves. They secrete a protective mucus over their scaleless skin which contains a toxin in some species. Their small circular gills, located on the flanks far posterior to the mouth, require the moray eel to maintain a gape in order to facilitate respiration.

The dorsal fin extends from just behind the head, along the back and joins seamlessly with the caudal and anal fin. Most species lack pectoral and pelvic fins, adding to their snake-like appearance. Their eyes are rather small; morays rely on their highly developed sense of smell, lying in wait to ambush their prey.

Their bodies are patterned cryptically, the camouflage also being present inside the mouth. Their wide jaws are armed with sizable sharp teeth efficient at tearing flesh, making moray eels a subject best enjoyed from afar.

Morays are carnivorous and feed primarily on other fish, cephalopods and crustaceans. Groupers and other moray eels are among their few predators. There is a commercial fishery for several species, but some have been known to cause ciguatera fish poisoning.

Family Muraenidae

The following is an incomplete breakdown of the family. Please add to it as required.

Subfamily Muraeninae
* Cirrimaxilla
** Cirrimaxilla formosa
* Echidna

Barred moray (Echidna polyzona)

** Echidna amblyodon
** Echidna catenata - Chain moray
** Echidna delicatula
** Echidna leucotaenia - Whiteface moray
** Echidna nebulosa - Snowflake moray
** Echidna nocturna
** Echidna peli - Pebbletooth moray
** Echidna polyzona - Barred moray
** Echidna rhodochilus
** Echidna unicolor
** Echidna xanthospilos
* Enchelycore
** Enchelycore anatina - Fangtooth moray
** Enchelycore bayeri - Hookjaw moray
** Enchelycore bikiniensis - Bikini Atoll moray
** Enchelycore carychroa - Chestnut moray
** Enchelycore kamara
** Enchelycore lichenosa
** Enchelycore nigricans - Mulatto conger
** Enchelycore nycturanus
** Enchelycore octaviana - Slenderjaw moray
** Enchelycore pardalis
** Enchelycore ramosus - Mosaic moray
** Enchelycore schismatorhynchus
* Enchelynassa
** Enchelynassa canina - Viper moray
* Gymnothorax

California moray (Gymnothorax mordax)

** Gymnothorax afer - Dark moray
** Gymnothorax albimarginatus - Whitemargin moray
** Gymnothorax angusticauda
** Gymnothorax angusticeps
** Gymnothorax annasona
** Gymnothorax annulatus
** Gymnothorax atolli - Atoll moray
** Gymnothorax australicola
** Gymnothorax austrinus - Southern moray
** Gymnothorax bacalladoi
** Gymnothorax bathyphilus
** Gymnothorax berndti - Y-patterned moray
** Gymnothorax breedeni - Blackcheek moray
** Gymnothorax buroensis - Vagrant moray
** Gymnothorax castaneus - Chestnut moray
** Gymnothorax castlei
** Gymnothorax cephalospilus - Headspot moray
** Gymnothorax chilospilus - Lipspot moray
** Gymnothorax chlamydatus
** Gymnothorax conspersus - Saddled moray
** Gymnothorax cribroris - Sieve-patterned moray
** Gymnothorax dorsalis
** Gymnothorax dovii - Speckled moray
** Gymnothorax elegans - Elegant moray
** Gymnothorax enigmaticus - Enigmatic moray
** Gymnothorax equatorialis - Spotted-tail moray
** Gymnothorax eurostus - Abbott's moray eel
** Gymnothorax eurygnathos
** Gymnothorax favagineus - Laced moray
** Gymnothorax fimbriatus - Fimbriated moray
** Gymnothorax flavimarginatus - Yellow-edged moray
** Gymnothorax flavoculus
** Gymnothorax formosus
** Gymnothorax funebris - Green moray
** Gymnothorax fuscomaculatus - Brown-spotted moray
** Gymnothorax gracilicauda - Slendertail moray
** Gymnothorax griseus - Geometric moray
** Gymnothorax hepaticus - Liver-colored moray
** Gymnothorax herrei
** Gymnothorax hubbsi
** Gymnothorax intesi
** Gymnothorax isingteena
** Gymnothorax javanicus - Giant moray
** Gymnothorax johnsoni - Whitespotted moray
** Gymnothorax kidako - Kidako moray
** Gymnothorax kolpos - Blacktail moray
** Gymnothorax kontodontos
** Gymnothorax longinquus
** Gymnothorax maderensis - Sharktooth moray
** Gymnothorax mareei - Spotjaw moray
** Gymnothorax margaritophorus - Blotch-necked moray
** Gymnothorax marshallensis - Marshall Islands moray
** Gymnothorax mccoskeri
** Gymnothorax megaspilus - Oman moray
** Gymnothorax melatremus - Dwarf moray
** Gymnothorax meleagris - Turkey moray
** Gymnothorax microspila
** Gymnothorax microstictus
** Gymnothorax miliaris - Goldentail moray
** Gymnothorax minor
** Gymnothorax mordax - California Moray
** Gymnothorax moluccensis - Moluccan moray
** Gymnothorax monochrous - Drab moray
** Gymnothorax monostigma - One-spot moray
** Gymnothorax mordax - California moray

California moray (Gymnothorax mordax)

** Gymnothorax moringa - Spotted moray
** Gymnothorax mucifer
** Gymnothorax nasuta - Easter Island moray
** Gymnothorax neglectus
** Gymnothorax nigromarginatus - Blackedge moray
** Gymnothorax niphostigmus - Snowflake-patched moray
** Gymnothorax nubilus - Grey moray
** Gymnothorax nudivomer - Starry moray
** Gymnothorax nuttingi
** Gymnothorax obesus - Speckled moray
** Gymnothorax ocellatus - Caribbean ocellated moray
** Gymnothorax panamensis - Panaman moray
** Gymnothorax parini
** Gymnothorax phalarus
** Gymnothorax phasmatodes - Ghost moray
** Gymnothorax philippinus
** Gymnothorax pictus - Peppered moray
** Gymnothorax pikei - Pike's moray
** Gymnothorax pindae - Pinda moray
** Gymnothorax polygonius - Polygon's moray
** Gymnothorax polyspondylus
** Gymnothorax polyuranodon - Freshwater moray
** Gymnothorax porphyreus - Lowfin moray
** Gymnothorax prasinus - Yellow moray
** Gymnothorax prionodon - Australian mottled moray
** Gymnothorax prolatus
** Gymnothorax pseudoherrei
** Gymnothorax pseudothyrsoideus - Highfin moray
** Gymnothorax punctatofasciatus - Bars'n spot moray
** Gymnothorax punctatus - Red Sea whitespotted moray
** Gymnothorax randalli
** Gymnothorax reevesii - Reeve's moray
** Gymnothorax reticularis
** Gymnothorax richardsonii - Richardson's moray
** Gymnothorax robinsi
** Gymnothorax rueppellii - Banded moray
** Gymnothorax sagenodeta
** Gymnothorax sagmacephalus
** Gymnothorax saxicola - Ocellated moray
** Gymnothorax serratidens
** Gymnothorax sokotrensis
** Gymnothorax steindachneri - Steindachner's moray
** Gymnothorax thyrsoideus - Greyface moray
** Gymnothorax tile
** Gymnothorax undulatus - Undulated moray
** Gymnothorax unicolor - Brown moray
** Gymnothorax vagrans
** Gymnothorax verrilli - White-edged moray
** Gymnothorax vicinus - Purplemouth moray
** Gymnothorax woodwardi
** Gymnothorax ypsilon - Y-bar moray
** Gymnomuraena zebra - Zebra moray
** Gymnothorax zonipectis - Barredfin moray
* Monopenchelys
** Monopenchelys acuta - Redface moray
* Muraena
** Muraena appendiculata
** Muraena argus - White-spotted moray
** Muraena australiae
** Muraena clepsydra - Hourglass moray
** Muraena helena - Mediterranean moray
** Muraena insularum
** Muraena melanotis - Honeycomb moray

Reticulate moray (Muraena retifera)

** Muraena retifera - Reticulate moray
** Muraena robusta - Stout moray
* Pseudechidna
** Pseudechidna brummeri - White ribbon eel
* Rhinomuraena
** Rhinomuraena quaesita - Ribbon moray
* Strophidon
** Strophidon sathete - Slender giant moray
Subfamily Uropterygiinae
* Anarchias
** Anarchias allardicei - Allardice's moray
** Anarchias cantonensis - Canton Island moray
** Anarchias euryurus
** Anarchias galapagensis - Minute moray
* Channomuraena
** Channomuraena vittata - Broadbanded moray
* Scuticaria
** Scuticaria okinawae - Shorttailed snake moray
* Uropterygius
** Uropterygius concolor - Unicolor snake moray
** Uropterygius fasciolatus - Blotched moray
** Uropterygius macularius - Marbled moray
** Uropterygius xanthopterus - Freckleface reef-eel

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External link

["Muraenidae"]. FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
http://www.itis.usda.gov ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 161160

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