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Common Eel — Part 3
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Body elongate, compressed behind, covered with imbedded scales which are linear in form and placed obliquely, some of them at right angles to the others; lateral line well developed; head long and conical, 2 to 2 1/2 in trunk; eye small, over angle of mouth; teeth small, subequal, in bands on each jaw, and a long patch on the vomer; tongue free at the tip; lower jaw projecting; gill-openings small and slit-like; nostrils superior, well separated, the anterior with a slight tube; distance from front of dorsal to vent 1 1/6 to 2 in head; pectoral fins 2 5/6 to 3 2/5 in head Colour brown or yellow-olivaceous, nearly plain, paler below, the colour, quite variable.
The common eel reaches a considerable size. An example taken in 1899 in Lake Maxinkuckee measured 43 inches in length, and weighed 6 1/2 pounds. Examples 4 to 5 feet long have been reported, though the average length of those caught probably does not exceed 2 1/2 to 3 feet.