Knowra Eel Eel An eel is an elongated, mostly scaleless ray-finned fish in the order Anguilliformes. Eels inhabit marine and freshwater environments, and many species migrate between them.
Anguilliformes : An order of ray-finned fishes characterized by elongated bodies and reduced or absent pelvic fins. Eels are members of this order, which includes moray eels and conger eels.
Catadromy : A life-history pattern in which fish grow mainly in fresh water and migrate to the sea to reproduce. Freshwater eels such as the European eel follow this pattern.
Moray eel : A family of marine eels known for elongated bodies, small gill openings, and crevice-dwelling habits. Morays are a familiar marine branch of Anguilliformes, often hunting from reef crevices.
Unagi : The Japanese culinary term for freshwater eel, usually referring to eel served grilled or broiled. Freshwater eels are widely valued in Japanese cuisine, especially as unagi.
Fish : Aquatic vertebrates with gills and, in most species, fins supported by rays or other structures. Eels are ray-finned fish despite their serpentine shape.
Leptocephalus : A transparent, leaf-shaped larval stage found in eels and several related fish groups. Eels spend an oceanic larval phase in this distinctive form.
Conger eel : A large marine eel in the family Congridae, found in coastal and deep waters. Congers illustrate the large-bodied marine eels distinct from freshwater migrants.
Eel aquaculture : The farming of eels for food, typically by raising juveniles captured from the wild. Reliable captive breeding remains difficult, so farming depends heavily on wild juveniles.
Eel locomotion : Swimming by waves of body curvature that travel from head toward tail. The eel’s long body produces waves that propel it through water and tight spaces.
Oceanic migration : Long-distance movement through the ocean, often linked to feeding, reproduction, or changes in habitat. Some eels cross ocean basins between spawning grounds and juvenile habitats.
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