![]() The rationale for this joining of forces is the ability of the morays to enter narrow crevices and flush prey from niches not accessible to groupers. The invitation to hunt is initiated by head-shaking. Reef-associated roving coralgroupers ( Plectropomus pessuliferus) have been observed to recruit giant morays to join them in hunting for food. Commercial fisheries exist for several species, but some cause ciguatera fish poisoning. ![]() Groupers, barracudas and sea snakes are among their few predators. Morays are carnivorous and feed primarily on smaller fish, octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and crustaceans. Their small, circular gills, located on the flanks far posterior to the mouth, require the moray to maintain a gap to facilitate respiration. This allows sand granules to adhere to the sides of their burrows in sand-dwelling morays, thus making the walls of the burrow more permanent due to the glycosylation of mucins in mucus. They have much thicker skin and high densities of goblet cells in the epidermis that allows mucus to be produced at a higher rate than in other eel species. Morays secrete a protective mucus over their smooth, scaleless skin, which in some species contains a toxin. Moray eels are the only animals that use pharyngeal jaws to actively capture and restrain prey. ![]() When feeding, morays launch these jaws into the mouth, where they grasp prey and transport it into the throat and digestive system. However, they have a second set of jaws in their throat called pharyngeal jaws, which also possess teeth (like tilapia). Moray eels' heads are too narrow to create the low pressure most fishes use to swallow prey. A relatively small number of species, for example the snowflake moray ( Echidna nebulosa) and zebra moray ( Gymnomuraena zebra), primarily feed on crustaceans and other hard-shelled animals, and they have blunt, molar-like teeth suitable for crushing. Most possess large teeth used to tear flesh or grasp slippery prey items. Their jaws are wide, framing a protruding snout. In some species, the inside of the mouth is also patterned. Their eyes are rather small morays rely on their highly developed sense of smell, lying in wait to ambush prey. Most species lack pectoral and pelvic fins, adding to their serpentine appearance. The dorsal fin extends from just behind the head along the back and joins seamlessly with the caudal and anal fins.
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