Genus: Anguilla, Freshwater Eel, Freshwater Eels

ANGUILLA

FRESHWATER EELS

With a robust body, compressed at rear; mouth reaching to under rear edge of eye, lower jaw projecting; lips thick; teeth minute, in bands on jaws and front of roof of mouth; with large pectoral fins; dorsal fin origin well behind large pectoral fin; dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail fin; lateral line complete but pores very small; small imbedded scales arranged in basket-weave pattern present in adults but not juveniles.

Adults live in fresh to brackish water and migrate long distances to spawning grounds in deep gyres in the open ocean; larvae marine.

A genus with about 16 species; worldwide (except without a resident population in the eastern Pacific) in tropical to temperate waters. One NW Atlantic species occurs in our region.