Eels are perhaps one of the most mysterious of the well-known fish; they might even be mistaken for the Loch Ness Monster . They have a complex catadromous life cycle, spending time in fresh and saltwater. But what is a baby eel called? The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Lifecycle of an American eel

A young American eel ( Anguilla rostrata) starts life in the Sargasso Sea and is usually spawned in the late winter. The first or larval stage is known as a leptocephalus, and is said to be shaped similarly to a willow leaf.

After drifting for several months, the leptocephalus stage transforms into what is known as a glass eel. As these glass eels leave the ocean and make their way up into rivers and streams they becom

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