Eels belong to a family of fish. There are a total of around 600 species of eels in this world. Mostly they are predators and live in ocean. These salt water eels include morays,snipe eels and congers. Moray Eels are uniquely gifted with razor sharp teeth which they use to eat their prey and ward off predators.They primarily inhabit swampy waters or running streams or rivers. These fresh water moray eels can also be found inhabiting marine bays and waters as well.While conger is a genus of marine congrid eels. Consisting of some of the largest types of eels, ranging up to 3 m (10 ft) in length; “Conger” or “Conger eel” is also the layman name of a variety of species, including members of this genus. Other types of Eels use holes and crevices within the reef to easily elude predators.
Structurally, eels are elongated fishes, ranging in length from 5 centimeters to ranging around 13 ft. Classic example is the tropical moray Thyrsoidea macrura which has been reported to reach 13 ft. in length . Eels display a noticeable reduction in the bones of the skull and associated structures, and go through an extended larval phase in their early life. The eel-like body form does not permit them for sustained speed of movement through the water. It however is an appreciable body form that allows them to hide in holes of rock and corals and bottom sea sediments. Also the backward movement speed that some eels can demonstrate is a sight to watch. Their feeding habits are also accentuated due to their jaw structure and enlarged teeth. The various modifications in them allow some to form to “garden eels”, eels which live in colonies in fine coral sand. An onlooker views these colonies as a vast garden of softly waving spindly plants.
Electric eels are an interesting variety of eel that generates electricity. Their body has thousands of special cells known as electrolytes which genrate electric current. Nature has given this ability to them to ward off predators. These cells are arranged in huge numbers (50,000) along the lenght of the eel. The electric shocks mainly genrate from muscles of the tail part of eel. Studies suggest that around 80% of the eels body is structured to generate electricity only and its the rest 20% which holds its essential organs. Thus it a very interesting family of fishes which has still been unexplored by our scientists.