Identification of American Eel

 1. The body is extremely elongated (snakelike), with a very long dorsal fin that is confluent with the anal fin. Pelvic fins are absent and tiny scales are embedded in the skin giving eels a smooth feel. The adult color is a yellow-brown with pale underbelly. It is a distinct species with no known subspecies.

2. What it looks like. The American Eel is a type of fish with a long, snake-like body and fins that extend along its back, around the tail and along its underside. It has thick lips with a lower jaw that is slightly longer than its upper jaw, making it look like it has an underbite. Juveniles are yellowish-green or brown

3.Adult eels vary in coloration, from olive green and brown to greenish-yellow, with a light gray or white belly. Females are lighter in colour than males. Large females turn dark grey or silver when they mature

4.American eel are the only freshwater eel species found in North America and they have an extraordinary life cycle. They will migrate thousands of miles from freshwater rivers and streams to the ocean. Discover what the Coastal Program is doing along the Potomac River to help eels migrate beyond

5.The perception of eels varies widely across cultures and countries. For some, eels are considered sacred, while others consider them unappealing. Some may use eels for food or ceremonial purposes, while others may fish them for sale. The American Eel has a significant value for Aboriginal people, as the eel is considered a spiritual being and is still an important food source with medicinal properties; mainly with the characteristics of its skin, which is used to wrap sprains and provide relief from cramps and other ailments. For the Mi'kmaq of Newfoundland, the eel represents an important food source that could be procured in both winter and summer.

6.American eels tolerate a wide range of temperatures and salinities, and can reside in a variety of habitats including the open ocean, brackish estuaries, and freshwater rivers and lakes. Their range extends from Greenland to northern South America. American eels are opportunistic feeders, and their diet includes aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans and worms depending on their habitat. At the silver eel stage, they no longer have functional digestive systems and do not eat.

7. Scientists suspect the largest threats to the American eel relate to habitat quality, fishing and obstacles to their migration. This includes changes made by humans to their habitats, dams, over fishing, changes in ocean conditions, as well as acid rain and contaminants. Still, much needs to be learned about this species to help reverse the effects of such threats.

8. Male and female American eels differ in their size, life expectancy and distribution. Male eels are more common in the southern half of the habitat range and are found primarily in rivers and estuarine habitats. Males mature and migrate to the Sargasso Sea at a smaller size (40 centimetres) and at a younger age (5 to10 years). Females are more likely to be found in the northern habitat range in freshwater and brackish water, and can be over 100 centimetres in length and as estimated 20 years older before maturing and migrating to the spawning grounds. The oldest recorded American eel was a captive eel which lived to be 88 years old.

9. All eels in Missouri are female. Male eels spend their entire adult lives in estuaries along the coast; only females migrate to inland waters. Most of the female’s adult life occurs in freshwater. Eels then migrate to breed at great depths in Atlantic Ocean south of Bermuda. It is assumed adult eels breed once, then die. When young eels reach coastal waters, they are transparent and called glass eels. As young eels attain pigment and begin the journey into freshwater, they are called elvers.

10. American eels control aquatic insects, crayfish and other fish, and they serve as prey to other predators.