It is notable for being ovoviviparous and gives birth to live larvae (hence the description "mother of eels").

The viviparous eelpout was first formally described as Blennius viviparus by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae with its type locality given as "European seas".

[3] In 1829, the French zoologist Georges Cuvier proposed the genus Zoarces for the eelpouts and subsequently B, viviparus was descignated as the type species of Zoarces, possibly by David Starr Jordan in 1917/[4] The specific name viviparus means "giving birth to live young", although the species is ovoviviparous.

The colour is highly variable, although they are commonly greyish brown on the upper body and yellowish ventrally.

[2] The viviparous eelpout feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, such as crustaceans, and fish eggs and fry.

The embryos actually suckle from ovarian follicles, ingesting nutrients and gases from these internal structures.

After depleting the egg's yolk reserves, the eelpouts attach their mouths to an ovarian follicle, which has a canal in its tip via which fluid and nutrients can flow.