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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At a glance
- 水域
- 半咸水
- Habitat
- 河口
- 最大长度
- 150 cm
- 分布范围
- East Asia
- 科
- Anguillidae
- 目
- 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 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.
Make connections