That’s a Moray

This beast comes from the imagination of a young boy watching “The Deep”, a forgettable 1970s Peter Benchley movie that followed “Jaws”. Morays guarded a treasure, and I fixated on them. Researching these creatures, I learned they have a second set of jaws in their throats! Insane. 
This moray features a body made from Cuban mahogany. The eyes are opal chips while the teeth and nostrils are copper cut nails. The moray’s little cave is actually a knothole from a tamarind tree. The “coral” is sea-worm eaten cedar. There’s also a bit of coral that washes up on the beach here in South Florida. The whole piece is highlighted with an ethereal glow that reveals itself in the dark. Sunlight or an ultraviolet flashlight (included) charge up the glow, but ambient light does the trick as well.