Moray Eel

California moray eels are long slim snake-like fish found in the rocky subtidal off the California coast. They differ from other fish because they lack scales, pelvic fins, pectoral fins, and gill plates. Often hiding in crevices during the day they become active hunters at night stalking their prey like small fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Moray have to hunt through their sense of smell because of poor eye sight. When catching their prey there they have a pharyngeal jaw, which is a second jaw used for secure and swallowing prey.