Moray eel

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PC040789 Moray.JPG

Moray eels are a diverse group of eels, the one shown here found in the Red Sea.

Pharyngeal Jaws

Two diagrams of head and spine, one showing the pharyngeal jaw at rest; the other showing the jaws extended into the mouth
Moray eel jaw anatomy

The pharyngeal jaws of morays are located farther back in the head and closely resemble the oral jaws (complete with tiny "teeth"). When feeding, morays launch these jaws into the mouth cavity, where they grasp prey and transport it into the throat. Moray eels are the only known animals that use pharyngeal jaws to actively capture and restrain prey in this way.[1][2][3]

  1. ↑ (Raptorial jaws in the throat help moray eels swallow large prey)
  2. ↑ (Eels imitate alien: Fearsome fish have protruding jaws in their throats to grab prey.)
  3. ↑ (Moray Eels Are Uniquely Equipped to Pack Big Prey Into Their Narrow Bodies - NSF - National Science Foundation)
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