Eel


Eels
Temporal range:
Anguilla japonica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Superorder: Elopomorpha
Order: Anguilliformes
L. S. Berg, 1943
Type genus
Anguilla
Suborders
Protanguilloidei
Synaphobranchoidei
Muraenoidei
Chlopsoidei
Congroidei
Moringuoidei
Saccopharyngoidei
Anguilloidei

Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (/æŋˈɡwɪlɪfɔːrmz/), which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species.[3][4] Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage and are usually predators.

The term "eel" is also used for some other eel-shaped fish, such as electric eels (genus Electrophorus), spiny eels (family Mastacembelidae), swamp eels (family Synbranchidae), and deep-sea spiny eels (family Notacanthidae). However, these other clades evolved their eel-like shapes independently from the true eels. Eels live both in salt and fresh water, and some species are catadromous.

Spotted moray eel in a tank, 2016
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference FB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Pl. 661 in Garsault, F. A. P. de 1764. Les figures des plantes et animaux d'usage en medecine, décrits dans la Matiere Medicale de Mr. Geoffroy medecin, dessinés d'après nature par Mr. de Gasault, gravés par Mrs. Defehrt, Prevost, Duflos, Martinet &c. Niquet scrip. [5]. - pp. [1-4], index [1-20], Pl. 644–729. Paris.
  3. ^ "WoRMS taxon details – Anguilliformes".
  4. ^ "WoRMS taxon details – Saccopharyngiformes".

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