Anguilliformity Explained

Anguilliformity is a morphological pattern in fishes, named for and typified by the eels. Anguilliform fish have a long, slender body, and travel by anguilliform motion. The caudal fin is often emphasized, with the other fins reduced, absent, or fused with the caudal fin. ^[1] Anguilliformity has evolved independently in many groups, including among others:

• Anguilliformes, the eels
• Synbranchiformes, the swamp eels
• Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes
• Dipnoi, the lungfishes
• Cobitidae, the loaches
• Gymnotidae, the knifefishes, including the electric eel Electrophorus electricus

See also

• Limbless vertebrate

Notes and References

1. Intraspecific variation in limblessness in vertebrates: a unique example of microevolution . Biological Journal of the Linnean Society . 75 . 3 . 2008-10-13 . 0024-4066 . 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00029.x . 367–377 . 2022-10-13. Adriaens . Dominique . Devaere . Stijn . Teugels . GUY G. . Dekegel . Barbara . Verraes . Walter . free .