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Morays, Family Muraenidae: 36 Species Recorded Though
Indonesia isn't quite the "Land of the Puhi" as Hawai'i, there are moray
eels to be found here, sometimes in mixed species association. The most
commonly encountered shown below.
The Snowflake, Starry, or Diamond-Backed Moray, Echidna nebulosa
(Ahl 1789) To about thirty inches total length. Base color of silver
gray with black and yellow "snowflakes" randomly sprinkled over the
lower body. A crab and shrimp eater that rarely bites. | 
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Gymnothorax fimbriatus (Bennett 1832), the Fimbriated Moray. To
80 cm. (32 inches) in length. Indo-Pacific; Madagascar to Society
Islands. Feed on fish and crustaceans at night. |  
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Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker 1859), Giant Moray. To ten feet,
3 meters in length. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea, East Africa to Hawai'i.
Feeds principally on fishes, secondarily on crustaceans. Largest
Moray species according to Fishbase. Shown here in Northern
Sulawesi. | 
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Gymnothorax meleagris (Shaw & Nodder 1795), the White Mouth
Moray. Brown to black with numerous white spots. Dark spot around
gill opening. Indo-Pacific. To about forty inches in length. N.
Sulawesi images. | 
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Gymnothorax pictus (Ahl
1789), the Peppered Moray. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to the eastern
Pacific, Hawai'i. To five feet in length. | 
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Gymnothorax (Siderea) thyrsoidea (Richardson 1845), the
White-Eyed Moray. Indo-Pacific; Christmas Island to French
Polynesia. To twenty six inches in length. Found in shallow water,
often with other Moray species. N. Sulawesi images. | 
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Rhinomuraena quaesita Garman 1888, the Ribbon Moray Eel.
Fiji image at right or a changeling female and male. Below, a
juvenile (black) and male in N. Sulawesi and a female in Mabul,
Malaysia. Females are rare and mostly to all yellow in color. Best
approached while vigorously rubbing, thumbing a pointer near the
base of the fish's hole, then wiggling it in front to draw it out. |  
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Snake & Worm Eels, Family Ophichthidae: 31 species recorded from
Indonesia Of all places in the world, Indo. is likely where you'll
actually get to see a live Snake Eel... they're encountered during the
day with their snouts sticking out in "muck" areas, and out and about
hunting by night. Scary at times, they pose no danger to divers. |
Brachysomophis cirrocheilos (Bleeker 1857), the Stargazer Snake
Eel. Looking frightening like its namesake (the uranoscopid
stargazer)... come to think of it, looking more terrifying...
Indo-West Pacific; Red Sea to Indonesia. To four feet in length. N.
Sulawesi image. | 
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Ophichthus altipennis (Kaup 1856), the Highfin Snake Eel. Seen
mostly in the sand by day. Darken with age, size. A younger
individual in Mabul, Malaysia and a larger/older one with a friendly
shrimp on its snout and one out and about in N. Sulawesi. |
Conger & Garden Eels, Family Congridae: Nine described Indo.
species. |
Conger cinereus
Ruppell 1830, the Mustache Conger.
Indo-Pacific. To four feet in
length. Found in holes in rocky
caves near the bottom. Looks like a sea
monster, but is a gentle giant. Hawaii pic
during the day. | 
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Taenioconger hassi (Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1959), the
Spotted Garden Eel. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea, East Africa, over to
Australia, up to the Ogasawaras to Micronesia. Sandy reef slopes,
generally below 15 meters. | 
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