How Do Eels Reproduce?

Anguilliformes or eels are fascinating creatures with long bodies, which make them resemble snakes. Over 800 species of it exist, with some found in freshwater and the sea. Eels exist around the world, and unsurprisingly people often eat them as food. For example, they are delicacies in some parts of Japan. Now despite their prevalence, there are still so many things we do not know about eels. In fact, we do not even know exactly how do eels reproduce. That’s right: eel reproduction is quite mysterious! This is despite centuries of studies and observations. How is this possible? How can we not know about the reproductive habits of one of the world’s most common kinds of fish? That is what this article will explain, and more.

How Eels Reproduce in the Wild is Mysterious

How is eel reproduction mysterious? For one thing, scientists have never observed eel spawning in the wild. Their exact spawning grounds remained mysterious for centuries. Only recently have the spawning grounds for many eel species been located. Even then, exactly how they move between their spawning and living grounds is unclear. Even their exact methods of reproduction remain largely unknown, as we will see later.

While many aspects of eel reproduction remain mysterious, other aspects have become more clear over time.

What is the Life Cycle of an Eel?

Before we dive into eel reproduction, it may be first worth describing an eel’s life cycle.