European Eel

Anguilla anguilla

Critically Endangered Both

Comprimento Máximo

133,0 cm

Peso Máximo

6,6 kg

Cor

Yellow-olive to olive-brown back and …

Faixa de Profundidade

0-700m

Família

Megalopidae

Categoria

Food Fish

Sobre

The European eel undertakes one of nature's most remarkable migrations, traveling 5,000 km from European rivers to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die. Despite centuries of study, its breeding grounds were only recently confirmed.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value
Maximum Length	133,0 cm
Maximum Weight	6,6 kg
Faixa de Profundidade	0-700m

Coloration

Yellow-olive to olive-brown back and sides in the freshwater 'yellow eel' phase; maturing 'silver eel' phase develops a dark gray-black back with a silvery-white belly and enlarged eyes.

Habitat & Distribution

Estuaries

Tipo de Água

Freshwater & Saltwater

Faixa de Profundidade

0-700m

Distribuição Geográfica

Spawns in the Sargasso Sea and larvae drift to European and North African coasts on the Gulf Stream. Adults inhabit rivers, lakes, and coastal waters from Iceland and northern Norway south to the Mediterranean and Morocco.

Países

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

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Distribution Map

Present Not recorded countries

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered IUCN Red List

European Eel is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

European Eel faces significant threats to its wild populations.

Comestibilidade e Culinária

Sabor

Rich, fatty flesh with a distinctive earthy flavor; classically smoked, jellied (in Britain), or grilled kabayaki-style. Critically Endangered — consumption strongly discouraged; population down 90%.

Informações de Pesca

Peixe Esportivo

Sim

Taxonomy

Ordem	Elopomorpha (Tarpons and eels)
Família	Megalopidae (Tarpons)
Espécies	Anguilla anguilla

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name
Arabic	أنقليس أوروبي
Chinese (Simplified)	欧洲鳗鲡
French	Anguille d'Europe
German	Europäischer Aal
Indonesian	Sidat eropa
Japanese	ヨーロッパウナギ
Korean	유럽뱀장어
Russian	речной угорь
Spanish	Anguila europea
Thai	ปลาตูหนายุโรป
Vietnamese	Cá chình Châu Âu