Purplemouth Moray

Interested in all thoughts on this image. Looking for thoughts on lighting, etc. Also if you have time thoughts on the best of this particular speciman - images can be found at Deep Sea Images Purplemouth Moray Gallery

Image taken with a Fuji S2Pro, dual strobes (1/2 power on both), F16 @ 1/60th, RAW Format original). Sized to ? x 700, Unsharpen mask applied, nothing else done to it.

Thanks,

Marriard

I like the shots that show more of his body. Specifically #8, if cropped to fill the frame. You see so many eel shots with only the head showing.

I was curious why three obviously different species of Moray all have the same Latin name?

I was curious why three obviously different species of Moray all have the same Latin name?

Same latin name as they are actually all the same species of Moray. Several morays have a wide variety of variations, and the Purplemouth is one of them - several regular ,identifiers for this species:

1. Yellow eyes - normally the #1 give away

2. Purple-lavender interior of mouth

3. Body can be all shades of brown (from light to almost black)

4. Dark stripe on the edge of the dorsal fin

The only one on this page I am unsure about is not my image - and even then it does have a lot of the same characteristics (I have seen some throw aways from the same speciman that have the same identifiers). The other three specimans on the page are very definelty Purplehead's

Goldentail's are just as bad - I have seen an almost black Goldentail, as well as one without spots - instead had net like markings, and then one with brown spots on yellow instead of the normal yellow spots on brown.

Hey, but I'll happily be wrong. Love to cross off another species of fish I haven't got ANY images of... Images of all these (except the one I am not positive on) were taken around West Palm Beach/Boynton Beach in Florida.

M

I clocked them as follows-

1. Purple or lavender mouthed moray

2. Purple Headed moray (There is a similar one in the med)

The one posted by the other gentlemen I cannot reference presently but the teeth layout in moray are very decisive for specie ID as in this example -check it's mouth, plus the head is totally different too.

Enc. Don't let this beauty catch you unawares!!!

Cheers,

Bob

I clocked them as follows-

 

1. Purple or lavender mouthed moray

 

2. Purple Headed moray (There is a similar one in the med)

 

The one posted by the other gentlemen I cannot reference presently but the teeth layout in moray are very decisive for specie ID as in this example -check it's mouth, plus the head is totally different too.

 

Enc. Don't let this beauty catch you unawares!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

Cool image.

Ok, I looked and looked and I can find no references to either a Lavendar Moray (to which I am assuming is also just a different common name for a Purplemouth so no big deal) or a Purple Headed Moray (which I haven't been able to find any reference to).

Eels hold a particular facination for me, so if you have any references I should buy, let me know!

Thanks,

M

The purple headed moray may be a variation on a grey (seasonal) but in the Med it is a recognised species, it differs from those pictured in the fact it has yellow flanks. I have only video references to this species so cannot post an example presently as I am not at home.

Moray publications - check out the web as there are many sites and publication references - Colins is pretty good.

The purple headed moray may be a variation on a grey (seasonal) but in the Med it is a recognised species, it differs from those pictured in the fact it has yellow flanks. ..... - Colins is pretty good.

Thanks - I appreciate the info!