Spotted Moray

Fascinating facts about the Spotted Moray

• A spotted moray can reach up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in length and weigh about 2.51 kg (5.5 lb).
• The spotted moray ranges from the coast of North Carolina to Brazil and around islands such as St Helena in the Western Atlantic.
• Dive deeper than most reef fish and you’ll still find spotted morays at 200 m (660 ft) below the surface, proving they are comfortable from sunlit shallows to the twilight zone of the ocean.
• When a spotted moray snaps shut on prey, the sudden pull-back of its jaws can tear flesh and may release toxins into the wound, a reminder that even a seemingly shy reef dweller can pose a serious bite risk to divers.
• Aquarium hobbyists keep spotted morays until they outgrow their tanks, often reaching lengths that make a home aquarium impractical.

At a glance

About the Spotted Moray

The spotted moray (Gymnothorax moringa) glides through reef labyrinths with a sinuous, snake-like form that can reach an impressive two metres, though most individuals are encountered at about sixty centimetres. Its body is a canvas of pale yellow or white, speckled with countless overlapping reddish-brown to dark-brown spots that give the eel its name and a striking camouflage against the dappled light of coral crevices. Found from the surface to depths of two hundred metres, this medium-to-large moray inhabits the Western Atlantic, from North Carolina and Bermuda down to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, and even circles the Mid- and Eastern Atlantic islands as far south as St Helena. A solitary predator, it spends daylight hours concealed in narrow holes, only the tip of its head protruding, ready to ambush crustaceans, molluscs and small fish that wander near the sea floor. One surprising trait is the bite’s “pull-back” effect: when the eel snaps shut, the jaw’s rapid retraction can cause significant tissue damage, and the wound may be laced with toxins, making encounters potentially hazardous for divers and fishermen alike. Though prized in a modest fishery and occasionally displayed in public aquariums, the eel’s rapid growth soon outpaces the capacity of captive settings, prompting owners to release or retire these striking creatures as they approach their full size.

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