Moray eels belong to the family Muraenidae, which includes around 200 species in 15 genera, most of which are marine.
They range from 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches) to nearly 3 meters (3.3 yards) in length, and usually have patterned bodies with scaleless skin, protected by a layer of mucus.
Morays are carnivores, eating other fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and cephalopods. They have large teeth for tearing flesh, and a second set of teeth in the throat called pharyngeal jaws.
This photo shows two white-eye moray eels, Siderea thyrsoidea. These morays often live in pairs or groups and normally hide the majority of their bodies in a hole. They are often seen in small aggregations with other moray species.
Some species, such as giant morays, Gymnothorax javanicus, are actively recruited by coral groupers, Plectropomus pessuliferus, to cooperatively hunt. The eels can flush prey out of narrow niches that the groupers cannot access.
The groupers shake their heads rapidly at the eels to initiate the cooperative behavior, which triggers the eels to exit their crevices. You can see the two species together in this video.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
They range from 11.5 centimeters (4.5 inches) to nearly 3 meters (3.3 yards) in length, and usually have patterned bodies with scaleless skin, protected by a layer of mucus.
Morays are carnivores, eating other fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and cephalopods. They have large teeth for tearing flesh, and a second set of teeth in the throat called pharyngeal jaws.
This photo shows two white-eye moray eels, Siderea thyrsoidea. These morays often live in pairs or groups and normally hide the majority of their bodies in a hole. They are often seen in small aggregations with other moray species.
Some species, such as giant morays, Gymnothorax javanicus, are actively recruited by coral groupers, Plectropomus pessuliferus, to cooperatively hunt. The eels can flush prey out of narrow niches that the groupers cannot access.
The groupers shake their heads rapidly at the eels to initiate the cooperative behavior, which triggers the eels to exit their crevices. You can see the two species together in this video.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
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