Japanese eel

Japanese eel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Genus: Anguilla
Species:
A. japonica
Binomial name
Anguilla japonica
Synonyms
  • Anguilla angustidens Kaup, 1856
  • Anguilla breviceps Chu & Jin, 1984
  • Anguilla manabei Jordan, 1913
  • Anguilla nigricans Chu & Wu, 1984
  • Anguilla remifera Jordan & Evermann, 1902
  • Anguilla sinensis McClelland, 1844
  • Muraena pekinensis Basilewsky, 1855

The Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica; nihon unagi (日本鰻)[2]) is a species of anguillid eel found in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam,[3] as well as the northern Philippines. 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 endangered.[4]

  1. ^ Pike, C.; Kaifu, K.; Crook, V.; Jacoby, D.; Gollock, M. (2020). "Anguilla japonica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T166184A176493270. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T166184A176493270.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "日本鰻". Local Sensei. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  3. ^ Vietnam Faunas, in creatures.net
  4. ^ Atsushi, Usui (1991). Eel culture. Fishing News Books. ISBN 0-85238-182-4. OCLC 1221090595.