Fish of the day 62 - I got that chestnut in me

Hello everyone, I have returned to talk about eels!



I would like to introduce you all to the beloved Caribbean chestnut moray eel. It is one of my favourite members of the enchelycore genus. Below are some neat facts.

- Among other species, especially those who come from the genus Gymnothorax, species from Enchelycore do not grow very large. Most only attain 2-3ft long and those are considered decently big. The Carribean chestnut moray eel reaches a max length of around 1ft long, or 33cm, making it the smallest in its genus and one of the smallest moray eels. 

- The white spots that speckle their jaw are pores used for sensory. Moray eels do not have good eyesight, and like many fish, have very complex system of sensory organs to help them sense their surroundings. All moray eels have these pores, but for this species, they are extra visible. You may wonder why they are located exclusively on their head, and the reasoning is simple. Moray eels spend much of their time hiding in crevices and holes. They usually only have their head sticking out and have no real need for pores elsewhere. Seeing a freeswimming moray is pretty rare unless you go snorkeling at night.

- All eels lean on the shyer side. Unlike many depictions of them in media, they like staying out of the spotlight and avoiding others. They won't attack you unless you reallyy get in their face. As expected, the Caribbean chestnut moray is no exception. This species is extra wary around divers and is a rare sight to humans, though they are pretty abundant.

- This species is visually similar to another moray eel, the viper moray. Despite their resemblance, they are not even part of the same genus. The viper moray is the lone species in the genus Enchelynasa. The difference between Enchelycore and Enchelynassa is related to their nostrils.


Do you got that chestnut in you? I like collecting chestnuts during the fall. This species really resonates with me, so I'd say I do!