30 Eel Trivia Quiz Questions & Answers

Eel is a fascinating and enigmatic creature that inhabits both freshwater and saltwater environments around the world. Eels belong to the family Anguillidae and are known for their elongated, snake-like bodies.

These remarkable fish have a unique life cycle that involves migrating vast distances to reproduce. Most eels begin their lives in the ocean, where they hatch from eggs and start as transparent, leaf-shaped larvae known as leptocephali. These tiny larvae drift with ocean currents for several months or even years before transforming into what we recognize as eels and migrating back to freshwater or brackish environments to mature.

• Part 1: 30 eel trivia questions & answers
• Part 2: Download eel questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz making platform – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 interesting eel trivia questions and answers

1. Eels are a type of fish that belong to the order:
a) Anguilliformes
b) Perciformes
c) Cypriniformes
d) Siluriformes
Answer: a) Anguilliformes

2. What is the term for the habitat in which eels spend most of their lives before migrating to breed?
a) Ocean
b) Lake
c) River
d) Forest
Answer: a) Ocean

3. Eels are known for their long, snake-like bodies. How do they move through the water?
a) Flapping their fins
b) Gliding with their body undulations
c) Propelling with their tail
d) Paddling with their pectoral fins
Answer: b) Gliding with their body undulations

4. Which part of an eel’s body contains most of its organs and gives it a distinct appearance?
a) Head
b) Tail
c) Thorax
d) Trunk
Answer: d) Trunk

5. What is the name for a baby eel?
a) Fry
b) Fingerling
c) Elver
d) Tadpole
Answer: c) Elver

6. Eels are found in both saltwater and freshwater environments. What is the term for eels that live in freshwater but migrate to the ocean to breed?
a) Anadromous eels
b) Catadromous eels
c) Amphidromous eels
d) Potamodromous eels
Answer: a) Anadromous eels

7. Which species of eel is known for its long-distance migration from freshwater to the Sargasso Sea to spawn?
a) European eel
b) American eel
c) Japanese eel
d) Australian longfin eel
Answer: a) European eel

8. Eels have a keen sense of smell and taste, which helps them locate food. How do they capture their prey?
a) Suction feeding
b) Biting
c) Electric shocks
d) Ensnaring with their tail
Answer: a) Suction feeding

9. Eels are nocturnal creatures, meaning they are most active during:
a) Sunrise
b) Sunset
c) Daytime
d) Nighttime
Answer: d) Nighttime

10. What is the name for the slimy substance that covers an eel’s body, making it difficult for predators to hold onto them?
a) Mucus
b) Slime coat
c) Epidermis
d) Sheen
Answer: b) Slime coat

11. Eels have a unique respiratory system that allows them to breathe air. What is the term for the organ through which eels gulp air at the water’s surface?
a) Gills
b) Spiracles
c) Blowhole
d) Air sac
Answer: b) Spiracles

12. Which species of eel is commonly used in sushi and sashimi dishes?
a) European eel
b) American eel
c) Japanese eel (Unagi)
d) Electric eel
Answer: c) Japanese eel (Unagi)

13. Eels are carnivorous and feed on various types of prey. What is their primary diet?
a) Plankton
b) Insects
c) Fish and crustaceans
d) Algae
Answer: c) Fish and crustaceans

14. What is the term for the sharp teeth that eels use to grasp and hold onto their prey?
a) Canines
b) Incisors
c) Fangs
d) Bristles
Answer: c) Fangs

15. Eels are known for their remarkable ability to generate electric shocks to stun prey and deter predators. Which species of eel is famous for its powerful electric discharge?
a) American eel
b) European eel
c) Electric eel
d) Japanese eel
Answer: c) Electric eel

Part 2: Download eel questions & answers for free

16. Eels are found in various colors, from brown and black to yellow and green. What is the term for the ability to change color to blend into their surroundings?
a) Camouflage
b) Mimicry
c) Chromatophores
d) Iridescence
Answer: a) Camouflage

17. In many cultures, eels are considered a delicacy and are prepared in various dishes. What is the term for the traditional Dutch way of preparing smoked eel?
a) Kippers
b) Herring
c) Gravlax
d) Paling
Answer: d) Paling

18. Eels have a long migratory journey to spawn in specific locations. What is the term for the process of eels traveling back to their freshwater habitats from the ocean?
a) Reproductive migration
b) Spawning migration
c) Homing migration
d) Breeding migration
Answer: c) Homing migration

19. Which continent is home to the largest diversity of eel species?
a) North America
b) Europe
c) Asia
d) South America
Answer: c) Asia

20. Eels have a unique lifecycle that involves hatching in the ocean and then migrating to freshwater to grow and mature. What is the term for this type of life cycle?
a) Metamorphosis
b) Larval development
c) Amphibious growth
d) Catadromous lifecycle
Answer: d) Catadromous lifecycle

21. Eels have an elongated body with no pelvic fins, which contributes to their snake-like appearance. What is the term for this body shape?
a) Fusiform
b) Cylindrical
c) Serpentine
d) Sigmoidal
Answer: c) Serpentine

22. In traditional medicine and folk beliefs, eels were thought to have various medicinal properties. Which part of the eel was believed to have healing powers?
a) Scales
b) Bones
c) Blood
d) Skin
Answer: b) Bones

23. Which species of eel is known for its ability to climb waterfalls and overcome obstacles during migration?
a) European eel
b) American eel
c) Japanese eel
d) Australian longfin eel
Answer: b) American eel

24. Eels have a highly developed sense of smell that helps them navigate and find food. What is the term for the part of an eel’s body that is especially sensitive to smell?
a) Nostrils
b) Gills
c) Lateral line
d) Olfactory sacs
Answer: d) Olfactory sacs

25. Eels have a unique behavior of secreting a sticky substance from their jaws, allowing them to:
a) Communicate with each other
b) Create nests for breeding
c) Build burrows in the sand
d) Trap and immobilize prey
Answer: d) Trap and immobilize prey

26. Which of the following is NOT a true statement about eels?
a) Eels have a cartilaginous skeleton.
b) Eels are found in both freshwater and saltwater environments.
c) Eels are venomous and can deliver a deadly bite.
d) Eels have a life cycle that involves metamorphosis.
Answer: c) Eels are venomous and can deliver a deadly bite.

27. Eels are known for their ability to travel over land for short distances. What is the term for this behavior of moving between water bodies?
a) Migration
b) Aquatic walk
c) Eel slither
d) Overland dispersal
Answer: d) Overland dispersal

28. Which of the following is a famous folklore character based on an eel that grants wishes to a young girl?
a) Nessie
b) Selkie
c) Nokk
d) Morozko
Answer: c) Nokk

29. In ancient mythology, eels were associated with a Greek god who transformed into an eel to escape danger. Who was this god?
a) Zeus
b) Poseidon
c) Hermes
d) Dionysus
Answer: b) Poseidon

30. What is the term for the behavior of eels burying themselves in the sand or mud to hide and avoid predators?
a) Camouflaging
b) Burrowing
c) Sanding
d) Submerging
Answer: b) Burrowing

Part 3: Free online quiz creating platform – OnlineExamMaker

With OnlineExamMaker, you can create online exams, performance assessments, practice tests to assess leaners’ knowledge and skills, and boost their engagement & improve knowledge retention. Supporting up to 10 question types, teachers are able to create quizzes with multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and open-ended questions, OnlineExamMaker provides flexibility in creating professional assessments.

Save time and effort with automated grading, instantly generating scores and results for each respondent. OnlineExamMaker grades your quizzes automatically, and provides valuable insights for performance evaluation. Whether you are an educator looking to engage students or a business professional seeking effective training methods, OnlineExamMaker quiz maker is a reliable and efficient solution that streamlines the assessment process for improved learning outcomes.