The Green Moray Eel Of Isla de la Juventud, Cuba (Gymnothorax Funebris)
- The Persaud Foundation
- Mar 10
- 8 min read
This month’s article series is going to discuss a small Caribbean island off the coast of Cuba known as Isla de la Juventud. This translates into English as the Isle of Youth, & Rejuvenation. The island is approximately 213.88 nautical miles (396.10576 kilometers or 246.128708 miles) from the mainland North American Continent.
Isla de la Juventud is an island off the coast of Cuba, owned by the Cuban government. It is the second largest island Cuban Island, only second to the main island. The island is approximately 2419.05 square kilometers (934 square miles or 597,760 acres). The island is south of Havana, & is the seventh-largest island in the West Indies as a whole. The official language of the island is Spanish, & tourism is high. Ecologically, the island is covered in Pine forests. The island is mild, & not as tropical as the rest of the Caribbean. The island is incredibly well known for its gorgeous beaches, never-ending nightlife, historic prisons, biodiversity, & its reputation as a pirate hideaway.
The coastline of the island is extremely biodiverse, & filled with nature preserves & coral reefs. The coral reefs are very large, & are of the fringing kind. These coral reefs house many interesting creatures, one of the strangest being the Green Moray Eel.
The Green Moray eel is a large species of Moray Eel found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest species of Moray Eel so far. It is considered to be a true eel, meaning that it is classified under the order Angulliformes. Though they are commonly found in shallow water reefs, they inhabit waters as deep as 130 feet. They are generally found alone, & do not live in packs, or groups.
In this article, we will discuss the life & discovery of the Green Moray Eel, the mating techniques, tactics, strategies, habits, procedures, & practices of the Green Moray Eel, the distribution of the Green Moray Eel, the scientific detailings of the Green Moray Eel, & the bite of the Green Moray Eel. With that being said, let us delve into this Underwater Beast.
The Life & Discovery Of The Green Moray Eel
The Green Moray Eel was first discovered by Camillo Ranzani, an Italian Priest, Professor, & Naturalist. He described the species in 1840, one year before his death.
The maximum recorded length of a Green Moray Eel is 8 feet long, however individuals are usually closer to 5.5 feet long. Their maximum weight is approximately 65 pounds. There is no sexual dimorphism, & individuals look very similar regardless of sex. Individual’s lifespans range from 6 to 36 years.
Though the Green Moray Eel is an understudied species, it is clear that they are more intelligent than most other reef fish. Green Moray eels are able to remember a diver for more than 2 weeks, & are able to show affection. Additionally, they are able to show jealousy over specific divers, who they deem to have a close relationship with. As a species, Green Moray Eels have existed since the Late Miocene, approximately 11 to 6 million years ago. In the wild, Green Moray Eels generally don’t interact with humans unless prompted. They can be rather vicious when provoked, & have been known to tear off divers fingers. They are territorial, & can become aggressive if humans or other eels intrude upon the little caves that they live in. Individuals are solitary, & don’t typically interact with one another unless they are breeding.
Though moray eels are poor swimmers, they are incredibly agile, & are able to swiftly move through the water column. Moray eels are have very quick reaction times. This species does not have any fins, & is very smooth as well as flat. Though they lack fins, they are the only oceanic fish that are able to swim both forward & backward. They control their buoyancy by releasing chemicals in their blood that keep them lighter than the water around them.
Moray eels are able to sleep by turning off half their brain, & moving themselves to an area where they feel safe. After moving to said area, they will sleep for a few hours at a time. Their eyes will remain open for this time, making it difficult to tell whether or not they are awake.
The diet of a Green Moray eel largely consists of small fish, octopi, crabs, shrimp, & squid. During the day, they are ambush predators, & will simply wait for a fish to swim by instead of actively hunting it. During the night, they become incredibly active predators, & will actively go through the coral reef to find food. They locate food through scent, & have an incredibly strong sense of smell. Their metabolism seems to be normal. The primary predators of the Moray Eel are large Grouper Fish, Barracudas, & Sea Snakes. If attacked, occasionally, groups of Moray Eels will gather to attack the predator, & prevent the other Moray Eels from injury. Despite their name, Green Moray Eels are dark grey or brown, however underwater, they appear to be a yellowish-green. The reason for this is because they excrete a lot of mucus, that underwater, gives them the appearance of being yellow or green. They are incredibly smooth, with small eyes.
As of 2026, they are ranked as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. They were last assessed on the 17th of August, 2011, & their ranking has not changed since. Their population trend is unknown.
The Mating Techniques, Tactics, Strategies, Habits, Procedures, & Practices Of The Green Moray Eel
The Moray Eel breeds via sexual reproduction, & has 2 distinct sexes. Moray eels are not hermaphroditic naturally. Their breeding system is polygamous, meaning that both males & females will take multiple partners each mating season. It is not clear when exactly they sexually mature.
Their breeding season lasts from July to September, in which thousands of Moray Eels will congregate to breed with each other. It is also not how they initiate the release of eggs. When they do, females will release thousands of eggs, & males will release their sperm into the water nearby.
Once the eggs are fertilized, the parents will have no involvement in their lives. Upon being introduced into the world, they have to fend for themselves.
The Distribution Of The Green Moray Eel
The Green Moray Eel is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from New Jersey to Brazil. In these areas, they live & hunt in coral reefs, living in small crevices throughout the reef. Though they can be found in shallow water coral reefs, they inhabit depths as deep as 130 feet (39.624 meters).
The Scientific Detailings Of The Green Moray Eel
One of the most interesting things about the Green Moray Eel is the fact that they have both an inner & outer Jaw. Green Moray Eels have an outer jaw, that they will use to clamp onto prey, this is the jaw that is visible to us. On the inside of their mouth, they have an inner jaw, that they will jerk forward to grab any food caught in their outer jaw. This way the food that gets caught in the outer jaw, gets pulled into the inner jaw. This allows them to swallow large prey, whole. They have very long flexible spines, & lack any kind of fins. Individuals have 2 rows of teeth on their upper jaw & one row of teeth on their lower Jaw.
As moray eels don’t have gill covers, they constantly have to open & close their mouths to respirate.
As of 2026, there are no recorded parasitic infections of the Green Moray Eel in captivity or the wild. Green Moray Eels produce a mucus like substance all around their bodies, leading to them feeling slimy to the touch. This mucus is also present in their mouth, & has a kind of toxin known as Crinotoxins in it. Though the effect of it is minimal, it is still toxic. This toxin cannot affect someone through their bite though, as Moray Eels are not venomous.
Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail.
Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. This class comprises over 50% of living vertebrate species.
Their order is Anguilliformes, which is the order of true eels. There are approximately 1,000 species categorized under this order, with 164 genera.
Their family is Muraenidae, which is the family of Moray Eels. There are approximately 200 species categorized under this family. Species categorized under this family are almost exclusively marine, with there being very few freshwater moray eels.
Their genus is Gymnothorax. Gymnothorax has approximately 120 species of moray eel categorized under it, & it is the largest genus of Moray Eel. Their binomial name is Gymnothorax Funebris.
The Bite Of A Green Moray Eel
Though divers commonly interact with Moray Eels, they are known to bite people. If provoked, a moray eel is able to bite off a person’s thumb with a 250 to 900 PSI. Below, will be a step by step guide as to how to deal with a Moray Eel’s bite. If you feel that you are in immediate danger or discomfort from a moray eel bite, then please seek medical attention. This guide is only to be used for minor Moray Eel injuries, & is not applicable or appropriate in all circumstances. Do not rely solely on this guide, & seek medical advice for personalized advice. With that being said, below is a guide to treating the Bite of a Moray Eel.
Step No. 1: Remove Yourself From The Ocean.
If you have not already gotten out of the ocean, then you must properly treat the wound.
Step No. 2: Wash The Wound With Soap & Water.
After removing yourself from the ocean, wash the wound thoroughly with soap & water.
Step No. 3: Apply Pressure On The Wound To Stop The Bleeding.
Apply light pressure on the wound with a cloth or a rag to stop the bleeding.
Step No. 4: Apply Antibacterial Ointment.
Apply Antibacterial Ointment on the wound, then cover it with a sterile bandage wrap.
Step No. 5: If You Feel That Your Discomfort Level Is Too High, Consider Taking A Pain Reliever.
Depending on your pain & discomfort level, consider taking an over the counter painkiller, such as Advil or Tylenol. These may help with pain, & possibly swelling.
Step No. 6: Call Your Doctor.
If you feel that you have not adequately dealt with the injury, do not hesitate to call your primary physician. Do not rely solely on this guide, & seek appropriate medical attention.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Aquarium. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 2: “Marine Encyclopedia Of Ocean Fishes: Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceana. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “Gymnothorax Funebris” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Florida Museum Of National History. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 4: “Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Virginia Aquarium. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 5: “Gymnothorax Funebris” Written By Kyle Wilson, & Published in 2006. Published by the Animal Diversity Web. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 6: “Sea Wonder: Green Moray Eel” Written by Unknown, & Published on February 14th, 2020. Published by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 7: “What To Do About A Moray Eel Bite” Written by Corey Whelan, & Published on March 2nd, 2021. Published by Healthline. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 8: “What It’s Like To Be Bitten By A Moray Eel” Written By Michelle Pugh & Brook Morton, & Published on December 9th, 2018. Published by The Scuba Diving Magazine. Retrieval Date: April 17th, 2024.
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