Freshwater Eels

Usually catadromous fishes in tropical and temperate waters, except eastern Pacific and south Atlantic. Eellike body with minute or embedded scales. Well developed pectorals but no pelvic fins; dorsal and caudal fin confluent with anal fin. All species are important food fishes and are sold fresh, smoked, or canned. Important aquaculture species based on captured juveniles (elvers); widely introduced. All spend their juvenile and adult live in freshwater, returning to the ocean to spawn and die. The leptocephalus larvae are marine. There is some doubt as to the validity of some of the fifteen species currently recognized.