Genus: Gymnothorax, Moray Eels

GYMNOTHORAX

MORAY EELS

Front nostril a simple tube; rear nostril a hole, sometimes with a raised rim, at level of profile of head; lower jaw straight, mouth closes completely and covers teeth; teeth sharp, some enlarged, none like molars, a single row on front roof of mouth, top jaw with teeth in 1-2 rows, inner row not very large, with 1 or more depressible fangs at front; gill opening usually with body coloration; dorsal and anal fins covered with skin, but evident; dorsal fin origin before gill opening; lateral line pores absent except for 1-2 pores above and before gill opening.

A circumglobal tropical to warm temperate genus with ~ 116 species; with 6 Indo-Pacific species, one Pacific species, 2 temperate eastern Pacific, and 7 endemics in our region.