Order Anguilliformes (Eels)
American eel
Moray
Eel
Conger Eel
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Anguilliformes
Characteristics
 Lack pelvic fins
 Dorsal and anal fins are continuos with the
caudal fin
 Embedded cycloid scales, or totally absent
 Lack gill rakers
 Reduced skeleton
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Anguilliformes
Characteristics
 All have
leptocephalus larvae
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Order Anguilliformes
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


Freshwater Eels
Moray Eels
Conger Eels
Snake Eels
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Freshwater Eels
 Catadromous
 Important predator in many lakes and streams
• Considered a food fish in some locals
 Local species: American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Freshwater Eel
Reproduction
 Migrate to the Sargasso Sea after 6-12 years in
freshwater habitats
• Size - 35 - 150cm.
 Spawn at great depths and die
 Leptocephalus larvae “migrate” to coastal waters,
and metamorphose into elvers
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Spawning Sites
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Moray Eels
 Efficient predators on
reefs and rocky shores
• Preys on inverts and fish
 Teeth are always on
display since they have to
hold their mouth open to
breathe
 May exceed 9ft. rarely >
3ft.
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Conger Eels
 Resemble morays
• Have pectoral fins and
stout cone shaped
teeth
 Most prey on inverts
 Garden eels
• Feed on plankton and
often mistaken as
seagrass
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
Garden Eels
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Snake Eels
 Largest of all eel
families
 Small in size
(<3ft.) and
brightly colored
 Rarely seen, due
to burrowing and
nocturnal
behavior
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Family Clupeidae
(Herrings)
 Includes: Herrings,
Shads, Sardines, and
Menhaden
 Live in well-lit surface
waters
• School
• Feed on plankton
 DMF Website
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Clupeidae Characteristics
 Silvery scales and
compressed body
• Flexible mouth, with fine
gill rakers
 Play key roles in many
food webs
• Highly abundant, ability
to feed on plankton
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Clupeidae Characteristics
 Concentrate in coastal waters
 Many species are not harvested for direct
consumption
 Important prey items for other commercially
important species
 Several anadromous species
• Gizzard shad
• American Shad
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Atlantic Menhaden
(Brevoortia tyrannus)
 Important commercial
fishery on the East
coast
 Omega protein
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Purse Seine
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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American Shad (Alosa
sapidissima)
 Anadromous species
 Spawn all over the East
coast
 Female spawns over
600,000 eggs
• Valuable for the roe
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Common Clupeids
Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum)
Round Herring (Etrumeus teres)
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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Family Engraulidae
 Small, (<15cm.) filter
feeder
• Inhabit inshore waters
where plankton densities
are highest
 Distinguished by inferior
mouth
 Like Clupeids, numbers
fluctuate due to fishing
pressure and
oceanographic
conditions
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
Striped Anchovy Anchoa hepsetus
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Family Engraulidae
 Peruvian Anchoveta
• Occurr in the
upwelling currents on
the west coast of
South America
• Once one of the
worlds largest fisheries
• El Nino combined with
fishing pressure
caused a major
collapse
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and
Engraulids
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