Can anyone ID this moray?

[russy pelican]

A&W, this might be right up your alley.
So I picked up an eel about a month ago. I purchased it as a zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra):

which is a species I've kept for twenty years.
But the animal pictured below is a different species. The head is more elongate and there is a high dorsal fin, on the typical zebra there is no dorsal at all. Also, zebras have molar-like teeth for crushing mollusks; this eel has very sharp long teeth like a picovore.

If anyone knows what that is, I'd sure like too know. It doesn't appear in Burgess' Atlas or any websites I've found.

 

[sk8shorty01]

I believe my LFS has one that looks similar to that right now. They have it labeled as a banded leopord eel, although not sure that is a complete accurate name. I will see if it is still there later on today and see about getting a scientific name on it.

 

[rara12]

Banded Eel, Echidna polyzona.

 

[russy pelican]

E. polyzona is the closest I've found. The dorsal fin seems higher, but that's a more minor distinction than the differences with most other species, so you may be right on the money.

 

[aw2x3]

Echidna polyzona would be my guess as well. Another common name is Barred Moray.

 

[sk8shorty01]

well I guess my LFS was relatively accurate with their name then (I guess the leopard just makes it sound better haha). Thanks for the ID help guys!

 

[sepulatian]

I can understand the mistake. As a juvenile they realy don't look like the adult Banded Moray. This guy will not get as large as the zebra. I hope that you like him just as much though!