Green Moray in Cozumel
Green Moray (*Gymnothorax funebris*) in Cozumel: how to identify it, where it is reliably seen, and what it is commonly confused with.
The largest moray on the reef — a thick uniform green-brown body with no pattern. The green is actually a yellow mucus layer over blue-grey skin.
Quick ID
| Scientific name | Gymnothorax funebris |
|---|---|
| Group | Eels |
| Typical size | 120–200 cm |
| Depth range | 3–30 m |
| When to see it | Year-round |
| Active | Mostly night |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Notes | — |
Where You Will See It In Cozumel
Crevices and coral heads at Palancar, Paso del Cedral and Santa Rosa Wall, usually with only the head protruding.
Reliable sites: Palancar Bricks, Paso del Cedral, Santa Rosa Wall.
Behaviour
The constant open-mouth gaping is respiration, not threat — morays pump water over their gills that way. They hunt at night by scent and are effectively blind to a still diver.
Commonly Confused With
- Spotted moray — Spotted morays are pale with dense dark speckling.
- A large grouper in a hole — The eel has no pectoral fins and a continuous fin running down the back.
Diving Etiquette And Safety
Never put a hand into a crevice. Do not feed — most moray bites on divers follow hand-feeding, because the eel locates food by scent and cannot tell the finger from the fish.
Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip