Moray eels belong to a family of fish which differs from the common eels by their lack of side fins, their well-developed teeth, and their lack of scales. Common eels have embedded scales, but these are not readily noticeable. Morays occur in tropical and subtropical seas of the world. In the United States. Little is known of their breeding habits except that the young pass through a stage which is very thin, ribbonlike, and transparent.
Morays feed largely on other fish caught as they work their way through coral reefs.
Some morays are equipped with teeth in the back of the mouth for crushing hard-shelled animals such as clams and oysters. Morays are occasionally caught on hook and Morays are occasionally caught on hook and line by fishermen, sometimes are captured by trawlers that drag nets over the bottom. People in some parts of the world value the moray as food. Some Pacific morays measure as long as 10 feet and are considered dangerous to man when aggressions are aroused, generally by divers' actions. Several records exist of attacks on humans by wounded morays.