Green MorayorPurplemouth Moray
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Green Moray
Uniform olive-green to brown, no spots; the biggest Atlantic moray, to 8 ft.
Green moray, next to purplemouth moray: plain green.
Purplemouth Moray
Mottled brown-gray moray with a purple lining inside the mouth; a dark spot at the gill opening.
Purplemouth moray, next to green moray: mottled, smaller.
Side by side
| Green Moray | Purplemouth Moray | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Gymnothorax funebris | Gymnothorax vicinus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Not a food fish — ciguatera risk. | Not a food fish — ciguatera risk. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 2 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.
| State | Green Moray: size · bag · season | Purplemouth Moray: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, green moray or purplemouth moray, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell green moray from purplemouth moray?
Green Moray: Uniform olive-green to brown, no spots; the biggest Atlantic moray, to 8 ft. Purplemouth Moray: Mottled brown-gray moray with a purple lining inside the mouth; a dark spot at the gill opening. Purplemouth moray, next to green moray: mottled, smaller. Green moray, next to purplemouth moray: plain green.
Which is better to eat, green moray or purplemouth moray?
Green Moray: Not a food fish — ciguatera risk. Purplemouth Moray: Not a food fish — ciguatera risk.
Do green moray and purplemouth moray have the same limits?
Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.