Most species lack pectoral and pelvic fins, adding to their serpentine appearance. Their eyes are rather small; morays rely mostly on their highly developed sense of smell, lying in wait to ambush prey. [4] The body is generally patterned. In some species, the inside of the mouth is also patterned. Their jaws are wide, framing a protruding snout.

Moray eels have a muscular, serpentine body which, in some species, is flattened at the sides (“lateral compression”), but always flattens toward the tail. They have a long dorsal fin that extends from the head down the entire length of their bodies, where it fuses with the tail (caudal) and tail fins so it becomes continuous with the tail.

Jul 9, 2020 · Moray eels are unique because of their pharyngeal jaws – a second set of teeth in the back of the throat that can lunge forward to grasp prey. To understand what an amazing adaptation this is, we have to take a look at developmental biology to understand where these structures originate and why they are important.

Moray Eel Profile. In the craggy shallows of the rocky reefs in temperate and tropical waters, there might be lurking an animal so grotesque that it can only come out at night. This slimy serpent-like creature has rows of glassy shards in jutting jaws, bulging, …

Feb 19, 2025 · Moray eels occur in all tropical and subtropical seas, where they live in shallow water among reefs and rocks and hide in crevices. They differ from other eels in having small rounded gill openings and in generally lacking pectoral fins.

Moray eel is the common name for any of the marine eels comprising the family Muraenidae of the order Anguilliformes. They are characterized by an elongated, snake-like body, the absence of pectoral fins, a posterior nostril set high in the head, the lateral line pores on the head but not the body, and usually by long, fanglike teeth (Nelson ...

May 27, 2024 · Moray eels belong to the Muraenidae family. The name comes from mūrēna, which is Latin for the Mediterranean moray eel. This word in turn comes from the Greek word muraina. There are 16 genera and over 200 species. The look of the moray has a long, laterally compressed body and is scaleless.

May 16, 2023 · Moray eels have long, slender bodies and it covers with smooth, scaleless skin. They can grow up to 13 feet in length and come in a variety of colors, including green, brown, and black. Despite their fearsome appearance, moray eels are not aggressive towards humans unless provoked or threatened.

They have a black body with orange and white specs covering the whole body from top to tail tip. They have very weak eyesight but have an excellent and well-developed sense of smell and vibrations in the water to detect their prey or approaching danger.

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.