Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker, 1859)
Thick as a man's thigh and attaining nearly 8 ft., this is the largest of all morays. Unconfirmed reports exist of 10-foot specimens weighing an estimated 150 lbs.! In Hawai`i these eels are often called "Java Morays." They are brown to greenish brown speckled with dark spots and there is a large dark mark at the gill opening. This species somewhat resembles the more common Yellowmargin Moray but the latter is finely mottled rather than spotted. Also, the Giant Moray’s tail is plain, with no yellow or green margin. The Giant Moray ranges from East Africa to Costa Rica's Cocos Island. It is rare in Hawai`i, although abundant at Johnson Atoll, 700 miles to the south. This photo was taken off the island of Lana`i by Victoria Martocci of Maui's Extended Horizons Scuba Tours
Recently the folks at Dive Makai in Kailua-Kona have posted photos of one of these eels. They call him Shrek and you can see him here. Another has been seen off Kaua`i a number of times by Linda Bail of Bubbles Below Scuba Charters.