Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Green Moray Eel

Gymnothorax funebris

Description:

Photo take at -45 ft on a coral reef, the most common and one of the largest of the moray eels. These eels average 1.8 m in length, but can grow up to 2.5 m long and weigh up to 29 kg. The dark green to brown color comes from a yellowish mucous that covers its blue skin to provide protection from parasites and infectious bacteria. Additionally, they are often camouflaged to hide in the reef from unsuspecting prey. Camouflage often extend into the mouth of the green moray which continually opens and closes slowly to move water over the gills for respiration. The large mouth features strong, pointed sharp teeth. The body is muscular with a long dorsal fin that extends down the length of the body starting from the head and ending in a short tail fin.

Habitat:

Found in the Western Atlantic: New Jersey (USA), Bermuda and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Recorded once from Nova Scotia, Canada. Eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific. Usually on shallow waters on the coral rees and caves.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

4 Comments

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

Thanks Hunter please try is wonderful :)

Hunter Hebenstreit
Hunter Hebenstreit 11 years ago

Awesome spotting! I would love to do some underwater photography.

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

hahaha Thanks Mark :)

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 11 years ago

Very green. Maybe seasick. Great spotting Gerardo.

Gerardo Aizpuru
Spotted by
Gerardo Aizpuru

Mexico

Spotted on Sep 4, 2012
Submitted on Sep 4, 2012

Related Spottings

Whitemouth moray Green moray eel Speckled moray Giant moray

Nearby Spottings

Sand Tilefish Dasher Beach Almond Slim Mexican Mantis
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team