1. Order Anguilliformes (Eels)
American eel
Moray Eel
Conger Eel
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

2. 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

3. Anguilliformes Characteristics
All have leptocephalus larvae
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

4. Order Anguilliformes Freshwater Eels Moray Eels Conger Eels Snake Eels
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

5. 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

6. Freshwater Eel Reproduction
Migrate to the Sargasso Sea after 6-12 years in freshwater habitats
Size cm.
Spawn at great depths and die
Leptocephalus larvae “migrate” to coastal waters, and metamorphose into elvers
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

7. Spawning Sites
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

8. 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

9. Conger Eels Resemble morays Most prey on inverts Garden eels
Have pectoral fins and stout cone shaped teeth
Most prey on inverts
Garden eels
Feed on plankton and often mistaken as seagrass
Garden Eels
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus)
Important commercial fishery on the East coast
Omega protein
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

15. Purse Seine
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

16. 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

17. Common Clupeids Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum)
Round Herring (Etrumeus teres)
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

18. 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
Striped Anchovy Anchoa hepsetus
Anguilliformes, Clupeids, and Engraulids

19. 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