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View Full Version : That's a Moray!

Russel P
10-16-2007, 01:12 PM
But what kind?

So I picked up an eel about a month ago. I purchased it as a zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra):http://i23.tinypic.com/atloqp.jpg which is a species I've kept for twenty years.

But the animal pictured below is a different species. The head is more elongate and there is a high dorsal fin, on the typical zebra there is no dorsal at all. Also, zebras have molar-like teeth for crushing mollusks; this eel has very sharp long teeth like a picovore.


http://i22.tinypic.com/dmzct0.jpg

If anyone knows what that is, I'd sure like too know. It doesn't appear in Burgess' Atlas or any websites I've found.
Psychojam
10-16-2007, 02:01 PM
Sorry, can't help with ID, but...

"That's a Moray"...Hilarious! :)
SoCalReefer
10-16-2007, 04:58 PM
well, i dunno what to say, i've had my eel for about 6 months now, and i still dont know what he is... but they sure do look cool
Amphibious
10-16-2007, 10:23 PM
I may have an ID for you. Try Myrichthys colubrinus, here's a pic...

http://www.theculturedreef.com/bandedeelet.jpg

It's not a true moray but, a banded Snake Eel. If this is what you have, I got the picture from here - Banded Snake Eel (http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fishnchips/april2000/fnc0400.html#critter). There is a short article about the critter.

Dick
salt-rookie
10-16-2007, 11:22 PM
And I was looking to hear a song by Dean Martin!
Russel P
10-17-2007, 01:52 PM
I'm leaning towards E. polyzona, but the high dorsal fin isn't a match. As for the snake eels, they have a very different shaped head than a moray:
http://i20.tinypic.com/2zg9ff7.jpg
And are much slighter of build.
Here's another picture showing the whole body. And notice the high dorsal...
http://i24.tinypic.com/10rv7gp.jpg
This is definitely a moray, time will tell if it's a polyzona. I'm hoping not, because the striking pattern will fade away with age.
Pescaiolo
10-17-2007, 05:35 PM
Juvenile Barred Moray maybe?
Amphibious
10-17-2007, 11:01 PM
Russel,

Yes, I'm going to have to agree on E. polyzona. When I did my initial search on Google, polyzona didn't show up. I looked in Scott Michaels', "Reef Fishes" volume #1 and on page 255 is a picture of polyzona. I think that is an accurate ID.

Good luck with it.

Dick
fat walrus
10-18-2007, 03:21 AM
itza Moray!!!!
Russel P
10-19-2007, 12:23 PM
Folks on some other message boards are saying it's a Gymnothorax rueppellii. Perhaps only time will tell, though.

http://i22.tinypic.com/2ez6b7s.jpg

http://i23.tinypic.com/59vajq.jpg
CarmieJo
10-19-2007, 07:24 PM
I'll be watching to see what he really is. :)