1. Gills: Like most fishes, eels have gills with which they can extract oxygen from water. Their gills are located on both sides of their head and covered by gill covers.
2. Skin respiration: Eels also have thin and permeable skin that allows them to absorb oxygen directly from the environment. This characteristic is especially crucial for certain eel species known to aestivate or travel on land to reach different water bodies. When out of water, eels rely heavily on their skin for respiration.
3. Adaptations in the intestine: Some eels, particularly burrowing species, can utilize their gastrointestinal tract for respiratory purposes. By keeping water in their highly vascularized intestines, they supplement their oxygen intake using this specialized region. This adaptation assists them while buried in mud or soil where oxygen availability is limited.
Combining these respiration methods enables eels to survive in various habitats and conditions