Snakes & Eels

Marine Life / Snakes & Eels

The long, sinuous hunters of the reef and sand, from morays and snake eels to sea kraits.

• Ribbon Eel Rhinomuraena quaesita

  The ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is a slender moray with flared nostrils and an open mouth, famous for changing colour from black to blue to yellow as it ages.

• Barnes' Garden Eel Gorgasia barnesi

  Barnes' garden eel (Gorgasia barnesi) is a slender garden eel that lives in colonies on sandy slopes, swaying up from its burrow to feed.

• Barred-fin Moray Gymnothorax zonipectis

  The barred-fin moray (Gymnothorax zonipectis) is a small, shy moray with a pale brown body marked by dark bars and spots.

• Black Garden Eel Heteroconger perissodon

  The black garden eel (Heteroconger perissodon) is a dark garden eel that lives in colonies on sand, rising from its burrow to feed on plankton.

• Crocodile Snake Eel Brachysomophis crocodilinus

  The crocodile snake eel (Brachysomophis crocodilinus) is an ambush predator that buries itself in sand with only its toothy head showing.

• Enigmatic Moray Gymnothorax enigmaticus

  The enigmatic moray (Gymnothorax enigmaticus) is a banded moray with dark brown and pale rings, often mistaken for a sea snake.

• Fimbriated Moray Gymnothorax fimbriatus

  The fimbriated moray (Gymnothorax fimbriatus) is a yellowish-green moray covered in dark spots, with a dark-tinged head.

• Giant Moray Gymnothorax javanicus

  The giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) is the bulkiest moray on the reef, brown with dark leopard-like blotches.

• Harlequin Snake Eel Myrichthys colubrinus

  The harlequin snake eel (Myrichthys colubrinus) is a black-and-white banded eel that mimics the venomous banded sea krait.

• Highfin Snake Eel Ophichthus altipennis

  The highfin snake eel (Ophichthus altipennis) is a burrowing snake eel usually seen with just its head poking out of the sand.

• Honeycomb Moray Gymnothorax favagineus

  The honeycomb moray (Gymnothorax favagineus) is a large moray covered in a striking honeycomb pattern of dark spots on a pale background.

• Marbled Snake Eel Callechelys marmorata

  The marbled snake eel (Callechelys marmorata) is a slender burrowing eel with a pale body covered in dark spots.

• Napoleon Snake Eel Ophichthus bonaparti

  The Napoleon snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti) is a burrowing snake eel with a brown-spotted head that pokes out of the sand.

• Reptilian Snake Eel Brachysomophis henshawi

  The reptilian snake eel (Brachysomophis henshawi) is a heavy-jawed ambush predator that lies buried in sand with only its head visible.

• Snowflake Moray Echidna nebulosa

  The snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa) is a small moray with a white body patterned with dark, star-shaped blotches and yellow spots.

• Spotted Garden Eel Heteroconger hassi

  The spotted garden eel (Heteroconger hassi) is a slender white eel with dark spots that lives in large colonies on sandy slopes.

• Spotted Moray Gymnothorax isingteena

  The spotted moray (Gymnothorax isingteena) is a large pale moray densely covered in dark brown spots.

• Taylor's Garden Eel Heteroconger taylori

  Taylor's garden eel (Heteroconger taylori) is a pale, finely speckled garden eel that lives in colonies on sand.

• White-eyed Moray Gymnothorax thyrsoideus

  The white-eyed moray (Gymnothorax thyrsoideus) is a greyish-brown moray with striking pale eyes and a darker head.

• White-margined Moray Gymnothorax albimarginatus

  The white-margined moray (Gymnothorax albimarginatus) is a brown moray with a thin white edge along its fins.

• Whitemouth Moray Gymnothorax meleagris

  The whitemouth moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) is a brown moray covered in small white spots, with a white mouth lining.

• Zebra Moray Gymnomuraena zebra

  The zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra) is a dark brown moray ringed with many thin white bands.

• Turtle-headed Sea Snake Emydocephalus annulatus

  The turtle-headed sea snake (Emydocephalus annulatus) is a stout sea snake with a short, blunt head that gives it its name.

• Barred Sand Conger Ariosoma fasciatum

  The barred sand conger (Ariosoma fasciatum) is a pale conger eel with faint dark bars along its body and large eyes.