They have an anguilliform body plan
This creature may appear menacing; however, it is only opening its mouth to breathe. Goldentail moray eels will continuously open and close their mouths as a requirement of their respiration process. These eels don’t have bony gill covers like a fish would have. Instead, goldentail eels use their mouth to pump water across the gills and out through two openings they have behind their head. Where can you find a goldentail moray eel? These eels are found on both Florida coasts, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean. This photograph is from the Florida Keys.
Goldentail moray eel behavior
Goldentail moray eels are easily approachable, and do not react aggressively towards divers. The habitat for goldentail eels is typically shallow reef structure that allows them somewhere to hide. Typically, these eels are found in less than 50 feet of water. As the name suggests, the tip of the tail of this eel is golden/yellow in color. They have an anguilliform body plan where the dorsal fin and caudal fin connect into one enormous tail. The rest of the body coloration is as it appears in this photo. The body is a shade of brown with irregular yellow spots that cover the entirety of the body. Sometimes this color profile is reversed and the main body color is a shade of yellow with brown spots. Their intense yellow eyes are hard to miss. You may note the small nostrils coming out of its nose. Morays are not known for their eyesight, but rather their impressive sense of smell. The mouth of a goldentail eel is white in color. Their teeth are angled backward so not to allow anything to escape. Unlike other eel species, morays like this eel actually have two rows of teeth.
Goldentail Moray Eels Behavior
These predators will ambush their prey. I’ve even seen moray eels nuclear hunting with other big fish. Nuclear hunting is when fish team up with each other to hunt other prey. Moray eels do not have scales, so how do they protect themselves? These creatures create a protective mucus. Sometimes this mucus even contains toxins. In addition, eel blood contains a protein that is toxic to humans and other marine life. Just another deterrent for would be predators.
Moray eels do not have scales
Did you know?
- Some species of moray eels live in salt water, some in brackish water, and some in fresh water!
- Some moray eels can change their body color!
- The world’s heaviest eel is the European conger, weighing in at 240 pounds!
- They are also known as bastard eels and conger moray eels!
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