Anguilla rostrata
(Lesueur 1817)
Family Anguillidae
American eels are members of the freshwater eel family, and have distinctly projecting lower jaws. They have slender, snakelike bodies and no pelvic fins. They can be found in creeks, canals and rivers. American eels often live in undercut banks and deep pools near logs and rocky substrate, and are frequently found in Florida cave systems.
Status & distribution
- Status — Native freshwater
- Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
- Drainages: Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaries, Suwannee River, Tampa Bay, the Myakka or Peace River, Caloosahatchee River, Everglades, Indian River, St. John’s River and St. Mary’s River