Species learning profile

European eel

Anguilla anguilla

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a brackish fish associated with estuary habitat in Europe. It crosses the Atlantic to spawn in the Sargasso Sea.

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河口Anguillidae

At a glance

水域: 半咸水
Habitat: 河口
最大长度: 150 cm
分布范围: 欧洲
科: Anguillidae
目: Anguilliformes

Observe

How to identify European eel

It crosses the Atlantic to spawn in the Sargasso Sea.
Guide context: estuary habitat in Europe.
Reported maximum length: 150 cm — capable of growing longer than many people are tall. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with estuary habitat across Europe. Tides mix fresh and salt water here, and sheltered shallows often serve as productive nursery habitat.

Behavior

Migrates between continental waters and the open ocean

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish.

Ecological role

Connects freshwater, estuary, and ocean food webs.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

European eel可长到约 150 厘米，常见于河口附近。

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Estuaries are vulnerable to shoreline loss, polluted runoff, dredging, and barriers between nursery and adult habitat.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with European eel in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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