1. Juvenile eels: This is the most likely meaning. "Young" in this context would refer to the larval or juvenile stages of eels. These stages are quite different from the adult eels we typically see.
Here's a breakdown of eel life stages:
* Leptocephalus: The larval stage of eels, characterized by a flat, transparent, ribbon-like body. They live in the open ocean and feed on plankton.
* Glass eel: After metamorphosis, the leptocephalus transforms into a glass eel. They are still transparent but have a more eel-like body shape. They migrate towards freshwater.
* Elver: As glass eels enter freshwater, they develop pigmentation and become known as elvers.
* Yellow eel: These are the juvenile stage that we often see in rivers and streams. They have a yellow-brown coloration.
* Silver eel: The mature stage of eels. They develop a silver coloration and migrate back to the ocean to spawn.
2. Eel fry: This term specifically refers to the very young, recently hatched eels, often in the leptocephalus stage.
3. A type of fish: "Eel young" could be a local name for a specific type of fish, though this is less likely.
Context is Key:
To understand what "eel young" specifically refers to, you need more context. For example, what is the situation in which you encountered this term? What else is being discussed?
Let me know if you can provide more information, and I can give you a more precise answer.