Eels | Anguilliformes
Eels are usually bony fish or ray-finned fish grouped under order Anguilliformes. These animals are nocturnal, predators, migrate, and most species lack scales. Eels are elongated fish that lack the pelvic and pectoral fins with the dorsal and anal fins fused to form a single ribbon that runs along the entire length of the body of the animal. The Eel can swim forward and backward and you will spot them living in shallow waters of both fresh and salty water, burrowing into the sand, rocks, and mud. They too are a wonderful source of food.
Eels live in both freshwater and saltwater bodies of water, but the majority of the species typically live at sea. The habitat of eels generally consists of shallow waters as they prefer to burrow into the sand, mud, or rocks. Some species of eels are more at home within the continental shelves.
Typically, eels eat a variety of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Eels generally follow a carnivorous diet. Eels can eat almost any marine creature that is smaller than they are thus creating a diverse diet. The diet of eels is made up of sea urchins, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, frogs, krill, worms, and clams.
Eels reproduce through the process of external fertilization as the female eel release millions of eggs into the water to be fertilized by the male’s sperm. Eels, unfortunately, die after the reproduction and mating process. The reproduction process of eels has been considered a mystery for years.
