Category: Fish

Eels have gills, as most other fish do, and filter air from the water in order to breathe. This means that they never have to go to the surface. Snakes, on the other hand, do not have gills, but lungs. What is the difference between an eel and snake? As marine animals and unlike reptiles, […]

Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (/æŋˈɡwɪlɪfɔːrmiːz/), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Is an eel a fish? A true eel is an elongated finned-fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes. There are more than 800 species of eel ranging in about 2 in (5 cm) […]

The toxin derived from eel blood serum was used by Charles Richet in his Nobel Prize-winning research, in which Richer discovered anaphylaxis by injecting it into dogs and observing the effect. The Jewish laws of Kashrut forbid the eating of eels. Is eel kosher food? To comply with kosher requirements, a fish must have fins […]

Eel can be a nutritious type of fish for pregnant women to eat, because they’re high in omega-3 fatty acids, and are a good source of selenium, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese (source: BI). Eel is also high in protein and contains several vitamins such as A, B12 and vitamin E. Is unagi […]

Unagi. Unagi (ウナギ) is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, especially the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica (日本鰻, nihon unagi). Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking, often as kabayaki. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as anago in Japanese. What is eel called in sushi? unagiAlso called unagi, […]

Adult (yellow or silver) eels are eaten or used for bait, and they’re a traditional part of the diet for tribes in the area. It was a confluence of events that led to elvers becoming a major commercial fishery. In Maine, the story starts in the 1970s, at a time when sushi was becoming popular […]

Moray eels (Family Muraenidae) make up one of the largest families of bony fishes in Hawai’i, with more species (over 40) than any other fish family than perhaps the wrasses (Family Labridae). Their abundance cannot be truly appreciated because most species are small and remain well hidden within the reef. What types of eels live […]

Home Natural World On the coast of Curacao, a Spotted Moray Eel proves itself a cannibal as it eats smaller of its same species. On the coast of Curacao, a Spotted Moray Eel proves itself a cannibal as it eats smaller of its same species. Are eels cannibals? Eels are primarily predatory fish with carnivorous […]

Although not for everyone, many of the morays make outstanding aquarium pets. In fact, there are a number of species that are a great choice for the beginning marine aquarists. But because this group of eels is quite diverse, care should be taken to get a moray that is right for your aquarium. How do […]

Classification and Scientific Name Moray eels belong to the Muraenidae family. The name comes from mūrēna, which is Latin for the Mediterranean moray eel. This word in turn comes from the Greek word muraina. There are 16 genera and over 200 species. Are moray eels actually eels? The moray eel is considered a “true” eel, […]

Most fish species with pharyngeal teeth do not have extendable pharyngeal jaws. A particularly notable exception is the highly mobile pharyngeal jaw of the moray eels. Which eels have pharyngeal jaws? Moray eels have two sets of jaws–the oral jaws and the pharyngeal jaws. Do all eels have 2 jaws? Which animal has two sets […]

It may sound crazy, but a lot of people claim there is a “gentle side” to eels. Some Aquarium workers have even said the snake-like fish are even more like dogs, showing intelligence and memory uncharacteristic for a non-mammal. Still, none of this necessarily means that they make good pets. Are eels aggressive? Eels are […]

One amazing trait of the moray eel is its two sets of jaws, one set right in front and a second set in its throat! After the moray eel snags its prey with its front set of jaws, the second set of jaws grabs the food and pulls it down toward the stomach—just like a […]

The muscles that power the pharyngeal jaws are a key part of this. They have stretched over time so that they are much longer than those of other fishes, and can propel the jaws across the entire length of the eel’s skull. The moray’s large head houses powerful jaw-closing muscles that deliver formidable bites. Do […]

Back in 2007, Mehta described how the eels utilize a secondary set of extendable jaws to swallow prey while in the water. Known as pharyngeal jaws, they’re located inside the throat, behind the primary set of oral jaws in the mouth. What type of jaws do eels have? Moray eels have two sets of jaws–the […]

These eels actually have two sets of jaws. When they are ready to feed, the eels open up and push their second jaws, or the “pharyngeal jaws,” forward from their throat. Do eels have 2 sets of teeth? Concealed Weapon: Eels’ Second Set of Teeth California researchers have discovered that moray eels have a second […]

2. When a moray eel opens and closes its jaws while peering out of a hole, what might it be doing? a. It is sleeping or resting. Why do moray eels open and close their mouths? Morays, like many other eels, need to manually open and close their mouths to pass water over their gills! […]