Eel and Similar Species
Anguilla
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Open the appSeveral fish can be confused with Eel. Here are the key differences.
Species often confused with {name}
Moray Eels
Muraenidae
Key differences: Moray eels are exclusively marine, lack pectoral fins (Anguilla has small pectorals), and have much larger mouths with prominent teeth. Their gill openings are typically small and circular, unlike the slit-like openings of Anguilla.
Conger Eels
Conger conger
Key differences: Conger eels are marine, generally larger, and have a more pointed snout. Their dorsal fin starts much closer to the pectoral fins than in Anguilla, and their scales are absent (Anguilla has embedded scales).
Lampreys
Petromyzontidae
Key differences: Lampreys are jawless fish (agnathans) with a distinctive circular, sucking mouth lined with teeth. They lack paired fins and have multiple separate gill openings (7) instead of the single slit-like opening of Anguilla. They are not true eels.
Snakeheads
Channa spp.
Key differences: Snakeheads are freshwater fish with elongated bodies, but they possess large, distinct scales, prominent dorsal and anal fins that are separate from the caudal fin, and large, distinct gill covers (opercula). They also have pelvic fins.
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