Anguilla anguilla was reported from 70 countries/islands


Table 1: the species is currently present in 62 of them (endemic, native, introduced);
Table 2: possible in 0 of them (stray, questionable);
Table 3: absent from 8 of them (extirpated, not established, misidentification, error).
Table 4: all reports listed together.

Distribution: Atlantic Ocean: Atlantic coast from Scandinavia to Morocco; Baltic, Black and Mediterranean Seas; rivers of North Atlantic, Baltic and Mediterranean seas (Ref. 172, Ref. 51442). Continuous introductions to Asia and South and Central America. Spawning area in western Atlantic (Sargasso Sea). At least one country reports adverse ecological impact after introduction. Recent genomic DNA studies show that the European eel exhibits isolation by distance, implying that non-random mating and restricted gene flow among eels from different location exists (Ref. 43723). The existence of 3 genetically distinct sub-populations is suggested: a Northern European subpopulation (consisting mainly of the Icelandic stocks); a Western European subpopulation (including the Baltic, the Mediterranean and Black Sea); a Southern sub-population (including stocks of Morocco) (Ref. 43723, 89139). International trade restricted (CITES Appendix II, since 13.5.2009).
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Table 1: Present in 62 countries/islands (endemic, native, introduced)
Continent Country Occurrence Main Ref.
Europe Albania ALB native 6125
Africa Algeria DZA native 6125
Europe Austria AUT native 87703
Europe Azores Is. AZZ native 6125
Europe Belarus BLR native 683
Europe Belgium BEL native 683
Europe Bosnia Herzegov. BIH native 6125
Europe Bulgaria BGR native 6125
Africa Canary Is. CNY native 6808
Europe Channel Is. CHA native 6125
Europe Croatia HRV native 6125
Asia Cyprus CYP native 6125
Europe Czechia CZE native 41386
Europe Denmark DNK native 10976
Africa Egypt EGY native 6125
Europe Estonia EST native 33247
Europe Faeroe Is. FRO native 6125
Europe Finland FIN native 6125
Europe France FRA native 11941
Asia Georgia GEO native 683
Europe Germany DEU native 556
Europe Gibraltar GIB native 6125
Europe Greece GRC native 113897
Europe Iceland ISL native 12462
Asia Iran IRN introduced 39702
Europe Ireland IRL native 6125
Europe Isle of Man IMN native 6125
Asia Israel ISR introduced 683
Europe Italy ITA native 6125
Africa Kenya KEN introduced 52331
Europe Latvia LVA native 683
Asia Lebanon LBN native 6125
Africa Libya LBY native 6125
Europe Lithuania LTU native 683
Africa Madeira Is. MRA native 74541
Europe Malta MLT native 33971
Africa Mauritania MRT native 6125
Europe Moldova MDA native 683
Europe Monaco MCO native 6125
Africa Morocco MAR native 6125
Asia Myanmar MMR introduced 94399
Europe Netherlands NLD native 6125
Europe Norway NOR native 6125
Europe Poland POL native 683
Europe Portugal PRT native 6125
Europe Romania ROU native 6125
Europe Russia RUS native 26334
Europe Serbia SRB native 6125
Europe Slovakia SVK native 90058
Europe Slovenia SVN native 90061
Europe Spain ESP native 6125
Europe Sweden SWE native 6125
Europe Switzerland CHE native 683
Asia Syria SYR native 6125
Africa Tunisia TUN native 6125
Asia Turkey TUR native 58342
Europe UK GBR native 90052
Europe UK Engld Wal GBE native 49557
Europe UK No Ireld GBN native 6125
Europe UK Scotland GBS native 6125
Europe Ukraine UKR native 683
Africa West Sahara ESH native 6125

Table 3: Absent from 8 country/island (extirpated, not established, misidentification, error)
Continent Country Occurrence Main Ref.
South America Brazil BRA not established 1739
Asia China CHN not established 6300
Africa Eritrea ERI not established 6529
Asia Indonesia IDN not established 13686
Asia Japan JPN not established 1739
Asia Jordan JOR not established 13609
Asia Taiwan TWN not established 6300
North America USA USA not established 10758

Table 4: Reported from 70 countries/islands.
Continent Country Occurrence Main Ref.
Europe Albania ALB native 6125
Africa Algeria DZA native 6125
Europe Austria AUT native 87703
Europe Azores Is. AZZ native 6125
Europe Belarus BLR native 683
Europe Belgium BEL native 683
Europe Bosnia Herzegov. BIH native 6125
South America Brazil BRA not established 1739
Europe Bulgaria BGR native 6125
Africa Canary Is. CNY native 6808
Europe Channel Is. CHA native 6125
Asia China CHN not established 6300
Europe Croatia HRV native 6125
Asia Cyprus CYP native 6125
Europe Czechia CZE native 41386
Europe Denmark DNK native 10976
Africa Egypt EGY native 6125
Africa Eritrea ERI not established 6529
Europe Estonia EST native 33247
Europe Faeroe Is. FRO native 6125
Europe Finland FIN native 6125
Europe France FRA native 11941
Asia Georgia GEO native 683
Europe Germany DEU native 556
Europe Gibraltar GIB native 6125
Europe Greece GRC native 113897
Europe Iceland ISL native 12462
Asia Indonesia IDN not established 13686
Asia Iran IRN introduced 39702
Europe Ireland IRL native 6125
Europe Isle of Man IMN native 6125
Asia Israel ISR introduced 683
Europe Italy ITA native 6125
Asia Japan JPN not established 1739
Asia Jordan JOR not established 13609
Africa Kenya KEN introduced 52331
Europe Latvia LVA native 683
Asia Lebanon LBN native 6125
Africa Libya LBY native 6125
Europe Lithuania LTU native 683
Africa Madeira Is. MRA native 74541
Europe Malta MLT native 33971
Africa Mauritania MRT native 6125
Europe Moldova MDA native 683
Europe Monaco MCO native 6125
Africa Morocco MAR native 6125
Asia Myanmar MMR introduced 94399
Europe Netherlands NLD native 6125
Europe Norway NOR native 6125
Europe Poland POL native 683
Europe Portugal PRT native 6125
Europe Romania ROU native 6125
Europe Russia RUS native 26334
Europe Serbia SRB native 6125
Europe Slovakia SVK native 90058
Europe Slovenia SVN native 90061
Europe Spain ESP native 6125
Europe Sweden SWE native 6125
Europe Switzerland CHE native 683
Asia Syria SYR native 6125
Asia Taiwan TWN not established 6300
Africa Tunisia TUN native 6125
Asia Turkey TUR native 58342
Europe UK GBR native 90052
Europe UK Engld Wal GBE native 49557
Europe UK No Ireld GBN native 6125
Europe UK Scotland GBS native 6125
Europe Ukraine UKR native 683
North America USA USA not established 10758
Africa West Sahara ESH native 6125
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The map in this page was supported by BioFresh that has received funding from the
European Union's Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 226874

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