a handprint made in concrete is just the image of a hand, it’s not the real thing. or, it’s the absence of a hand, more than anything, the negative space. the casing around where it should be. it’s an indent that was made from something real - that could not have existed without something real - but it’s not the real thing, it’s just trying to be. maybe it’s not even trying. you put your hand there with your mother and the concrete remembers, and the handprint doesn’t even know why it exists, it just does. if we can make copies and not-things from real things in the world, who’s the say the world couldn’t do that itself? does it even need to know why?
a handprint made in concrete is just the image of a hand, it’s not the real thing. or, it’s the absence of a hand, more than anything, the negative space. the casing around where it should be. it’s an indent that was made from something real - that could not have existed without something real - but it’s not the real thing, it’s just trying to be. maybe it’s not even trying. you put your hand there with your mother and the concrete remembers, and the handprint doesn’t even know why it exists, it just does. if we can make copies and not-things from real things in the world, who’s the say the world couldn’t do that itself? does it even need to know why?
Anatomy: greatly elongated body; no pelvic fins, many species also lack pectoral fins; the dorsal and anal fins are fused with the caudal fin, forming a single ribbon running along the length of the animal; leptocephalic (flat and transparent) larvae which metamorphose into “glass eels”, and then “elvers”, before finally seeking out their juvenile and adult habitats
Diet: fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, frogs, etc.; larvae are detritivores
Habitat/Range: in oceans worldwide, burrowed into sand, mud, or amongst rocks; most are marine, but some spend part or all of their lives in freshwater
Evolved in: Late Cretaceous
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The term "eel" is also used for some other eel-shaped fish, such as Electric Eels (genus Electrophorus), Swamp Eels (order Synbranchiformes), and Deep-sea Spiny Eels (family Notacanthidae) as well as some nematodes like Vinegar Eels (Turbatrix aceti). However, these other clades (with the exception of Deep-sea Spiny Eels which are related to true eels), evolved their eel-like shapes independently from the true eels. The electric mechanism of the Electric Eel is sometimes attributed to true eels, but true eels can not make an electric current.
Eels swim by generating waves that travel the length of their bodies. They can even swim backward by reversing the direction of the wave.
The heaviest true eel is the European Conger (Conger conger). The maximum size of this species has been reported as reaching a length of 3 m (10 ft) and a weight of 110 kg (240 lb).
The longest true eel is the Slender Giant Moray (Strophidon sathete), whose record length is 3.94 metres (12 feet 11 inches).
Most eels begin their lives in freshwater before making their way into the ocean to live their adult lives. Often, elvers are forced to climb up obstructions, such as weirs, dam walls, and natural waterfalls. The presence of man-made dams has made completing this life cycle harder. Journalist Gertrude Elizabeth Blood found that eel fisheries at Ballisodare were greatly improved by the hanging of loosely plaited grass ladders over barriers, enabling elvers to climb more easily.
A famous attraction on the French Polynesian island of Huahine (part of the Society Islands) is the bridge across a stream hosting 0.9-to-1.8 m (3-to-6 ft) long, freshwater Giant Mottled Eels (Anguilla marmorata), deemed sacred by Polynesian culture. According to tradition, the demigod Maui introduced the eels to the island, both as a valuable food source and as keepers of the island’s natural riches. While viewing the animals, tourists can buy a can of mackerel to feed the habituated eels.
Eel blood is toxic to humans and other mammals, but both cooking and the digestive process destroy the toxic protein. Freshwater eels (unagi) and marine eels (Conger Eel, anago) are commonly used in Japanese cuisine, and foods such as unadon and unajū are popular, but expensive. Eels are also very popular in Chinese cuisine, and are prepared in many different ways. Hong Kong eel prices have often reached 1000 HKD (128.86 US Dollars) per kg, and once exceeded 5000 HKD per kg. In India, eels are popularly eaten in the Northeast. Freshwater Eels, known as Kusia in Assamese, are eaten with curry, often with herbs. The critically endangered European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) (image 3) and other freshwater eels are mostly eaten in Europe and the United States. Elvers, often fried, were once a cheap dish in the United Kingdom. During the 1990s, their numbers collapsed across Europe, leading to them becoming a delicacy, and the UK's most expensive seafood. Some species are now farm-raised, but can not actually be bred in captivity. In 2010, Greenpeace International added the endangered European Eel, Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica), and American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) to its seafood red list, a catalogue of seafood which should not be eaten as consumption of it harms the environment. As governments and restaurants typically ignore the endangered species status of seafood (“they’re just fish”), it is often left up to consumers to check the sustainability of their meals.
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