Moray eel

Moray eel
Temporal range:
Whitemouth Moray eel in the Maldives
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Suborder: Muraenoidei
Family: Muraenidae
Rafinesque, 1810
Subfamiles

Moray eels, or Muraenidae (/ˈmɒr, məˈr/), are a family of eels whose members are found worldwide. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera which are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and a few are found in fresh water.

The English name, moray, dates back to the early 17th century, and is believed to be a derivative from Portuguese moreia, which itself derives from Latin mūrēna, in turn from Greek μύραινα, muraina; these are the Latin and Greek names of the Mediterranean moray.