Contrasts between spawning times of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla</Emphasis> species estimated from larval sampling at sea and from otolith analysis of recruiting glass eels |
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Authors: | James D McCleave |
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Institution: | (1) School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, 5741 Libby Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5741, USA |
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Abstract: | This study reviewed literature on spawning times for three north temperate species of anguillid eels estimated by sampling
for small leptocephali (larvae) at sea and for several temperate and tropical species by back-calculating from putative daily
ages derived from otolith increment analysis of glass eels that recruited to coastal waters. Estimates from otoliths of European
eels, Anguilla anguilla, American eels, Anguilla rostrata, and Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica, imply much more protracted spawning seasons than are indicated by sampling at sea during various times of year. European
eels are inferred to spawn year-round from otolith analysis, but the smallest, recently hatched leptocephali are found only
in late winter and spring. From otoliths, the spawning times of these three species are all estimated to occur much later
in the year than when small leptocephali are found at sea, indicating that ages appear to be underestimated. For these and
other temperate and tropical eels, there are inconsistencies in assigned ages among various studies, which are most extreme
for the European eel. This species has the longest larval migration and often has an opaque zone in the glass eels’ otoliths
where it is difficult to discern growth increments. These inconsistencies suggest that interpretation of otolith growth increments
is incorrect at least in some studies, and the apparently consistent mismatch between otolith and sea-sampling studies suggests
that increments may not always be formed at some period during the unusual early life history of anguillids. Because daily
increments may be formed in eels during most of their early life history, future research is needed to determine the cause
of the mismatch of glass eel aging studies and the apparent spawning times of eels offshore.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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