#anguilliformes

[herpsandbirds]

European Eel (Anguilla anguilla), family Anguillidae, order Angulliformes, River Severn, England, UK

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

photograph by Neil Aldridge

[fish-facing-forward]

Gymnothorax undulatus

Undulated Moray

Image source

Status: Least concern

Distribution: Widely found in the warm, tropical waters of the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean all the way to Central America.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Riveting Ribbon Eel

The ribbon eel, also known as the blue ribbon eel, the leaf-nosed moray eel or the bernis eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is a species of moray eel distributed throughout the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. They are often found in warm lagoons and sandy or rocky areas near coral reefs. They are seldom seen at depths greater than 57 m (187 ft).

Leaf-nosed moray eels spend most of their time in burrows or rocky crevices, waiting for small fish and crustaceans to come close enough to ambush. They are active mainly during the day, but even then they don't often venture out into the open unless they have to. R. quaesita has a few natural predators, including other moray eels and groupers. Unlike their more famous cousins the giant moray, they don't have a very strong bite, so they avoid being eaten mainly by hiding. Thanks to their unique, tube-shaped nostrils they also have excellent senses of smell.

Blue ribbon eels are characterised by their extremely long, thin bodies. Adults have up to 255 vertebrae, making them one of the longest known eels in the world. Males range from 65 to 94 cm (26 to 37 in) in length, while females can reach up to 130 cm (51 in). Males and females are also differentiated by their color; males are striped blue and yellow, while females are completely yellow from head to tail.

R. quaesita are protandrous, which means they all intially develop as male, and transition to female as they get older and larger- typically starting their transition around 1 m (39 in) in length. Little is known about when they reproduce, but when males and females do decide to mate they release sperm and eggs into the water where they fertilize. The females will only do this once, and they die within a month of reproduction. The larvae drift in the currents until they settle on the ocean bed and develop into black juveniles. It can take several years for them to become fully mature, and adults in the wild may live up to 20 years.

Conservation status: Ribbon eels are considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Those that live near coral reefs may be threatened by coral bleaching and damage. Capture for the pet trade is also a threat, as those held in captivity tend to die quickly and breeding is difficult.

Photos

Erik Schlögl

Lawrence T

Bernard Dupont

[thatsbelievable]

[snototter]

Red Sea garden eels (Gorgasia sillneri) in Egypt

by Rafi Amar

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

Hello, love what you doing here, may I humbly suggest muarena eel?

Have you seen a moray eel (Family: Muraenidae)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onJun 29

The first photo is of a snowflake moray, the second is of a Mediterranean moray.

[ashwilliebeee]

sunday morning goofy eels 💫

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Actinopterygii - Anguilliformes

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Order: Anguilliformes

Common Name: “eels”

Families: 21 - Chlopsidae (“false morays”), Protanguillidae (“Palauan Primitive Cave Eel”), Synaphobranchidae (“cutthroat eels”), Moringuidae (“spaghetti eels”), Anguillidae (“freshwater eels”), Nemichthyidae (“snipe eels”), Serrivomeridae (“sawtooth eels”), Cyematidae (“Arrow Eel”), Monognathidae (“onejaw eels”), Neocyematidae (“orange bobtail eels”), Eurypharyngidae (“Pelican Eel”), Saccopharyngidae (“gulper eels”), Heterenchelyidae (“mud eels”), Myrocongridae (“thin eels”), Muraenidae (“moray eels”), Colocongridae (“worm eels”), Derichthyidae (“longneck eels”), Ophichthidae (“snake eels”), Muraenesocidae (“pike congers”), Nettastomatidae (“duckbill eels”), and Congridae (“conger eels” and “garden eels”)

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

Do you have a favorite in Anguilliformes?

One or more of my favorite animals is in Anguilliformes

I love at least one or more of these animals

I like at least one or more of these animals

I am neutral about all of these animals

I dislike all of these animals

Voting ended onJun 23, 2025

Propaganda under the cut:

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.