June 25, 2025 — Eels. Just the name can bring shivers to some. Slippery, slimy and wiggly like snakes.
All true, but some of us think they are amazing creatures. Yes, I confess to being enamored of these slippery devils.
According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, there are more than 800 species of eels in the world, but contrary to popular belief, there is just one species of eel in North America, and that is the American eel.
Some may believe that the lamprey eel fits into this category, but they are very different animals.
A lamprey is a cartilaginous fish, meaning no bones. Their mouths are jawless without teeth and are used to attach to other organisms to suck out their body fluids. Now, that brings shivers to me! They have a series of gill holes instead of slits behind their head in which to breathe. Lampreys are anadromous and migrate from the sea into rivers and lakes to spawn.