is the Japanese

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

 word for salt-water eel

Congridae

Congridae is the family of conger and garden eels. Congers are valuable and often large food fishes, while garden eels live in colonies, all protruding from the sea floor after the manner of plants in a garden...

s, normally referred to Ma-anago (Conger myriaster

Conger myriaster

Whitespotted conger, Conger myriaster, is in the family of conger eel. Widespread in the Northwest Pacific near the coasts of Japan, Korean Peninsula, also in the East China Sea.Conger myriaster inhabit shallow sea bottom sand and mud. Conger myriaster is also consumed as food. Maximum total...

). Ma-anago are used for a seafood dish in Japan. They are often simmered (sushi

Sushi

is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...

) or deep-fried (tempura

Tempura

], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...

), compared to unagi

Unagi

Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eels, especially the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Saltwater eels are known as anago in Japanese. Unagi are a common ingredient in Japanese cooking...

 (freshwater eels) which are usually barbecued with a sauce (kabayaki

Kabayaki

is a generic Japanese term for a dish of seafood which is filleted, boned and dipped in a sweet soy sauce-base sauce before broiled on a grill. In general, kabayaki refers to the dish made with unagi. Kabayaki eel is very popular as a nutritious, stamina-generating food...

). Anago is also slightly less rich and oily than unagi. Anago has a very soft texture and sweet taste.

Species

Heteroconger hassi (Klausewitz & Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1959) Ariosoma anago, Anago anago or Conger anago (Temminck et Schlegel, 1846) Connger cinereus (Rüppell, 1830) Conger japonicas (Bleeker, 1879) Conger myriaster

Conger myriaster

Whitespotted conger, Conger myriaster, is in the family of conger eel. Widespread in the Northwest Pacific near the coasts of Japan, Korean Peninsula, also in the East China Sea.Conger myriaster inhabit shallow sea bottom sand and mud. Conger myriaster is also consumed as food. Maximum total...

 (Brevoort, 1856) Gorgasia japonica (Abe, Asai & Miki 1977)