Species learning profile

Japanese eel

Anguilla japonica

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) is a brackish fish associated with estuary habitat in East Asia. Transparent juveniles ride ocean currents toward Asian estuaries.

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MuaraAnguillidae

At a glance

Perairan
Air payau
Habitat
Muara
Panjang maksimum
150 cm
Sebaran
East Asia
Famili
Anguillidae
Ordo
Anguilliformes

Observe

How to identify Japanese eel

  • Transparent juveniles ride ocean currents toward Asian estuaries.
  • Guide context: estuary habitat in East Asia.
  • 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 East Asia. Tides mix fresh and salt water here, and sheltered shallows often serve as productive nursery habitat.

Behavior

Feeds in rivers before a long ocean spawning migration

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Crustaceans, insects, and fish.

Ecological role

Moves nutrients across marine and freshwater habitats.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Japanese eel dapat tumbuh hingga sekitar 150 cm dan sering ditemukan di sekitar Muara.

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 Japanese 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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