Moray eels are a family of eels whose members can be found worldwide in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, with the vast majority of species being in warmer saltwater habitats such as dead patch reefs, coral rubble rocks, and less frequently, live coral reefs.

The body of the Moray eel is scaleless, generally with patterns, and produces a protective mucus due to its thick skin and high densities of goblet cells. Its jaws are wide, containing its large teeth and pharyngeal jaws, which are located farther back in the head. When feeding, moray eels launch these jaws into the main mouth cavity to grasp their pray and transport it into the throat. Moray eels and cichlids are the only known animals that have a pharyngeal jaw.

Moray eels, along with some (but not all) species of eel, also have a symbiotic relationship with shrimp. Specifically, with cleaner shrimp, which remove parasites and dead skin from the eels.