Zebra Moray Eel, Zebra Moray
Morena Cebra
(Gymnomuraena zebra)

Zebra Moray Eel, Gymnomuraena zebra: The Zebra Moray Eel has a dark red-brown coloration with narrow white bands or circles that run from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail and occur about every two centimeters. Based on this description alone they cannot be confused with any other species. A unique feature about this eel, which merits its own genus, is that it has a very short tail which is approximately 30 percent of its total length.

The Zebra Moray Eel has poorly developed anal and dorsal fins with the dorsal fin originating before the gill openings. It has no pectoral fins. The gill opening is a small hole in the middle of the side. The tail is blunt. The teeth of the Zebra Moray Eel are blunt, molar like, and cover the jaw and the roof of the mouth like cobblestones. Zebra Moray Eels are found in the first 150 feet of the water column in and around rocky and rubble bottoms. It reaches a maximum length of 6 feet but is more common at 4 feet.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

In Mexico fishing waters the Zebra Moray Eel is found from Cabos San Lucas to Loreto along the east coast of the Baja California peninsula, along the coastal mainland south of Acapulco, and around all of Mexico's oceanic islands.

I had a rare 30-minute midafternoon encounter at the El Tule tidal pools in December 2007. Size approximately 18 inches. I found him about 30 feet from the end of tidal slough and with a stick was able to get him to the closed end and finally up onto dry land for about two minutes at which time he reversed direction and I whiffed with my bait net. He ended up under some large coral rocks and wouldn’t come out. Based on my experiences with live eels in general and due to the stripes, and concerns about getting bitten, which might include poisonous venom, I was unable to convince myself this was a good time to go into hand-to-hand combat with this guy.

The Zebra Moray Eel is member of the Muraenidae Family which in Mexico are known as morenas. Description courtesy of John Snow.

Mexico Fishing Home Page < Fish Photo List < Zebra Moray Eel

Copyright ©