First sighting of new moray eel species

During the nightdive on the 4th of March, at Kitchwani, we saw an unusual amount of undulate moray eels as well free-swimming as poking their heads out of holes in the coral. A juvenile giant moray was joining that bunch as well. Suddenly an unfamiliar snout was sticking out of a hiding place and I went closer to investigate who it belonged to. It was a moray eel that looked totally different to all eels I've ever seen before. The body was even brown coloured and the head had jaws that where not closing, but curved. The whole mouth was full of sharp dagger-like teeth. Hard to guess it's length, as it was partly hidden in the reef. Luckily I had my camera and a couple of pictures came out nicely, so I could look it up to identify this stranger. It was a rare and very secretive Bayer's moray (Enchelycore bayeri), indeed a species never seen by us before.

Posted: Mnemba by Jan Christiaens, Date: 4 March 2008