A mottling of brown over a yellowish undercolor runs the entire length of their medium-weight bodies. Bright golden eyes and purplish mouth linings easily distinguish Purplemouths from other species. Goldentail Moray Goldentail Moray M ost Goldentail Morays have golden tails, but unfortunately divers generally see only an exposed head. Identifications of the one to two-foot fish can be made by observing a fine scattering of tiny golden specks over a brownish undercolor. In rare cases the brown and gold blend to appear as a solid shade or even reverse patterns with a gold background covered by dark specks.
Morays inhabit shallow inshore reefs and rocky coastlines.
Their golden chainlike patterns camouflage their movements as they slither through sun drenched tide pools in search of crabs, their favorite food. Often, a receding surf leaves the hunter momentarily stranded out of water between waves. Both the Viper Moray and Chestnut Moray can be distinguished by arching jaws that exhibit a nasty looking set of teeth even when their mouths remain shut. Vipers reach a length of slightly over two feet. Their stocky bodies vary from dark brown to maroon and occasionally display a light mottled pattern.