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That’s a Moray

By ross | November 8, 1999

That’s a Moray
Sung to the tune “That’s Amore”
by Ross Philip Davis

In tropic seas,
Where fish are king,
When man meets eel,
Here’s what they say…

When the teeth,
Rip your thigh,
And it stings just like lye,
That’s a Moray.

When it lives,
In a reef,
Or some rocks where it eats,
That’s a Moray.

Jaws will gnash,
Gnash-a-lash-a-lash,
Gnash-a-lash-a-lash,
What a brash respiration!

And it ate,
Ina-verta-brates,
Ina-verta-brates,
Such a gay Muraenidae!

When the gill,
Op-en-ings,
Are small and round you will sing,
That’s a Moray.

When 1.5 meters,
Is your size,
Though you reach,
Three-point-five,
You’re a Moray.

When you lack,
Ventral fins,
And also lack,
Pectoral fins, signore.

Scuzza me,
But you see,
Back in tropic seas,
That’s a Moray!

Moray Eel Facts:

The Moray eels are fish which feed mainly on small fish and invertabrates. They have strong jaws with sharp, sometimes poisonous, teeth. The Moray eel has a reputation as being a vicious creature but they are actually very shy and sometimes docile toward divers. When provoked however, they can be very dangerous and may attack. Bite wounds should be treated with antiseptic as infection is common from these wounds. In the case a Moray eel bites into a victim and does not let go, as often happens, the eel must be distracted or killed. The Moray eel can be distacted with bait fish, but this is seldom a feasible course of action. Should the eel not let go, one should cut off its head or break its jaw.

The Moray eel can be found in nearly all tropic or subtropic seas. The eels are noctural predators and generally stay hidden in coral reefs or rocky crevices. Divers should be cautious when prodding about in reefs and rocks as they may disturb the home of an eel.

The Moray eel’s image as a fearsome creature is enhanced by its practice of continually opening and closing its jaws. However, this is simply the eel’s way of encouraging the flow of water across its gills. Moray eels are generally five feet in length, but the species Thyrsoidea macrurus can reach up to 11.5 feet. Moray eels are sometimes kept as pets, though they require special care.

Be seeing you!

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