Poor Unfortunate Souls

Our first dive trip was a peaceful one. On the first descent, we drifted over a forest or coral. Sea fans and sea rods were the dominate species. But brain coral was spattered all over and ranged in size. Some were small, about the size of a grunt, others were the size of boulders, creating sanctuaries for small otherwise exposed fish. 


On the second descent, we swam around a sand bar, surrounded by coral structures. These structures created ledges that hid a many. Some hid schools of fish, others blue parrotfish in their hiding holes, few however, held something with more of a bite. Nurse sharks and green morays could be seen relaxing in the subtle current. The day following, we would get a closer look at the creatures.

Our second dive trip was more like a movie, Jaws more specifically. On the first descent we sat in a circle around a ledge. Eventually our captain joined s bringing a chum bucket. Immediately, green moray eels slithered form their homes to get a taste.

Green moray eels, Gymnothorax funebris, are actually brown in color. Yellow mucus on their skin, in combination with their natural color, give them their famous green hue. Included in the order Anguilliformes, the green moray eel is categorized as a “true” eel. “True” eels are scale-less, reducing drag as they swim in an S movement.   They have no pelvic or pectoral fins. However, their dorsal fin covered its entire body and connects to its tail/ caudal and anal fins. Morays have an aggressive reputation, but this is relatively untrue. White their teeth make them capable predators, they are sedentary and wait for food to come to them. Their behaviors of repeatedly open its mouth is not a show of dominance, but just how they breath. Water is allowed to pass through their gills and depleted water leaved behind their head.


After this “feeding frenzy” we swam off, only to find another eel. This time, a spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax moringa. Classified in the same family as greens, there share similar qualities like poor eyesight, incapably of mouth suction, and use a “pharyngeal” to pull food back into their esophagus. However, have their own distinct white skin with black spots.

While the eels were amazing on the second descent we had a slightly different interaction. We laid in a circle on a sand bar and there, a chum bucket was twirled around to attract nurse sharks.


https://www.aqua.org/Experience/Animal-Index/green-moray-eel

https://oceana.org/marine-life/ocean-fishes/spotted-moray