Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica)

General data

Main name: Japanese eel
Climates: Subtropical, Temperate
Habitat: Catadromous
Native: Asia
Distribution: Pacific Ocean, Yellow River (Huang He), Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea, East China Sea, Yangtze, View all... South China Sea, Pearl River (Zhujiang), Red River (Hong river), Sea of Japan (East Sea), Shinano River, Ishikari River

Classification

Description

The Japanese eel is a species of anguillid eel found in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam, as well as the northern Philippines. Max length is up to 150 cm, but the common length is just 40 cm. Max. published weight is 1.9 kg. There are three main species under the Anguilla genus, and all three share very similar characteristics. These species are so similar that it is believed that they spawned from the same species and then experienced a separation due to different environments in the ocean. Like all the eels of the genus Anguilla and the family Anguillidae, it is catadromous, meaning it spawns in the sea but lives parts of its life in freshwater. Raised in aquaculture ponds in most countries, the Japanese eel makes up 95% of the commercially sold eel in Japan, the other 5% is shipped over by air to the country from Europe. This food in Japan is called unagi; they are an essential part of the food culture, with many restaurants serving grilled eel called kabayaki. However, presumably due to a combination of overfishing and habitat loss or changing water conditions in the ocean interfering with spawning and the transport of their leptocephali this species is critically endangered. The brown-stage, also known as the yellow stage, stage of the life lasts for 5-10 years, and during this time, the eel feeds on worms and insects. The characteristics of this stage include a dull pigment with a grey, brown, and greenish top and white underbelly. This pigment is related to the environment as it relies significantly on the color of the water. The eels grow to around their adult size in this stage as well during this time, which is up to 57 - 60 cm for females and 35 cm for males. At 30 cm, the eels grow sexual organs for the first time and prepare to make their great migration. Once these eels reach adulthood, they develop a silvery color under their skin. This change in appearance signaling that they are entering their last stage of life, the silver stage. During this time, the eels prepare to migrate to the spawning area by naturally producing more oil in their body. This oil is stored in the muscles of the eels and is approximately 20% of their body mass. Once the appropriate content of the oil is reached, the eels stop feeding. During the autumn and generally on the last quarter of the moon, the eels migrate downstream to the center of the pacific.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
    
    Anguillidae - Eels->
    
    Anguilla - Eels->
    
    European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
    
    American eel (Anguilla rostrata)
    
    Giant mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata)
    
    Short-finned eel (Anguilla australis)
    
    New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)
    
    Speckled longfin eel (Anguilla reinhardtii)
    
    Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica)
    
    African longfin eel (Anguilla mossambica)
    
    Indian mottled eel (Anguilla bengalensis)
    
    Indonesian shortfin eel (Anguilla bicolor)
    
    Polynesian longfinned eel (Anguilla megastoma)
    
    Anguilla borneensis (Anguilla borneensis)
    
    Celebes longfin eel (Anguilla celebesensis)
    
    Highlands long-finned eel (Anguilla interioris)
    
    African mottled eel (Anguilla labiata)
    
    Anguilla luzonensis (Anguilla luzonensis)
    
    Indonesian longfinned eel (Anguilla malgumora)
    
    Mottled eel (Anguilla nebulosa)
    
    Pacific shortfinned eel (Anguilla obscura)
    
    Neoanguilla - Neoanguilla->
    
    Muraenidae - Moray eels->
    
    Congridae - Conger and garden eels->
    
    Ophichthidae - Snake Eels->
    
    Chlopsidae - False morays->
    
    Colocongridae - Short-tail eels->
    
    Derichthyidae - Longneck eels->
    
    Heterenchelyidae - Mud eels->
    
    Moringuidae - Worm or spaghetti eels->
    
    Muraenesocidae - Pike congers->
    
    Myrocongridae - Atlantic red eels->
    
    Nemichthyidae - Snipe eels->
    
    Nettastomatidae - Duckbill eels->
    
    Protanguillidae - Protoanguillids->
    
    Serrivomeridae - Sawtooth eels->
    
    Synaphobranchidae - Cutthroat eels->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->