Abstract
During metamorphosis from the leptocephalus larva to glass eel, which occurs before entering freshwater, eel larvae undergo marked changes in the somatic structures from the leaflike shape of the leptocephalus to the adult-like shape of the glass eel. “Glass eel” is defined here a developmental stage from the end of metamorphosis in the leptocephalus to the beginning of pigmentation (stage VA-VI A; Tesch 1977). Following this stage the young eels are called “elvers” (Tesch 1977). The glass eels and elvers are regarded as the same category at times when they are variously referred to as glass eels, elvers, and juveniles, and are often undistinguishable in the literature.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aoyama J (2001) Molecular approach to phylogeny and evolution of the freshwater eels, genus Anguilla (in Japanese). Aquabiology 23:146–152
Aoyama J, Ishikawa S, Otake T, Mochioka N, Suzuki U, Watanabe S, Shinoda A, Inoue J, Lockman P, Inagaki T, Oya M, Hasumoto H, Kubokawa K, Lee TW, Fricke H, Tsukamoto K (2001) Molecular approach to species identification of eggs with respect to determination of the spawning site of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. Fish Sci 67:761–763
Arai T, Otake T, Tsukamoto K (1997) Drastic changes in otolith microstructure and microchemistry accompanying the onset of metamorphosis in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 161:17–22
Arai T, Otake T, Limbong D, Tsukamoto K (1999a) Early life history and recruitment of the tropical eel Anguilla bicolor pacifica, as revealed by otolith microstructure and microchemistry. Mar Biol 133:319–326
Arai T, Limbong D, Otake T, Tsukamoto K (1999b) Metamorphosis and inshore migration of tropical eels Anguilla spp. in the Indo-Pacific. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 182:283–293
Arai T, Aoyama J, Limbong D, Tsukamoto K (1999c) Species composition and inshore migration of the tropical eels Anguilla spp. recruiting to the estuary of the Poigar River, Sulawesi Island. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 188:299–303
Arai T, Limbong D, Tsukamoto K (2000a) Validation of otolith daily increments in the tropical eel Anguilla celebesensis. Can J Zool 78:1078–1084
Arai T, Otake T, Tsukamoto K (2000b) Timing of metamorphosis and larval segregation of the Atlantic eels Anguilla rostrata and A. anguilla, as revealed by otolith microstructure and microchemistry. Mar Biol 137:39–45
Arai T, Limbong D, Otake T, Tsukamoto K (2001) Recruitment mechanisms of tropical eels Anguilla spp. and implications for the evolution of oceanic migration in the genus Anguilla. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 216:253–264
Bertin L (1956) Eels, a biological study. Cleaver-Hume, London, pp 138–153
Budimawan (1997) The early life history of the tropical eel Anguilla marmorata (Quoy Gaimard, 1824) from four Pacific estuaries, as revealed from otolith microstructure analysis. J Appl Ichthyol 13:57–62
Castle PH, Williamson GR (1974) On the validity of the freshwater eel species Anguilla ancestral is Ege from Celebes. Copeia 1974(2):569–570
Cheng PA, Tzeng WN (1996) Timing of metamorphosis and estuarine arrival across the dispersal range of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 131:87–96
Cieri MD, McCleave JD (2001) Validation of daily otolith increments in glass-phase American eels Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur) during estuarine residency. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 257:213–227
Creutzberg F (1958) Use of tidal streams by migrating elvers (Anguilla vulgaris, Turt.). Nature (Lond) 181:857–858
de Casamajor MN (1999) Mirgatory behaviour of glass eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) in the Adour estuary in relationship to the variability of environmental condition. Cybium 23:415–416
de Casamajor MN, Bru N, Prouzet P (1999) Influence of night brightness and turbidity on the vertical migratory behaviour of glass eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) in the Adour estuary. Bull Fr Peche Piscic 355:327–347
Deelder CL (1952) On the migration of the elvers (Anguilla vulgaris Turt.) at sea. J Cons Cons Perm Int Explor Mer 18:187–218
Deelder CL (1958) On the behaviour of elvers (Anguilla vulgaris Turt.) migrating from the sea into freshwater. J Cons Cons Perm Int Explor Mer 24:135–146
Ege V (1939) A revision of the genus Anguilla Shaw. A systematic, phylogenetic and geographical study. Dana Rep 16:1–256
Haro AJ, Krueger WH (1988) Pigmentation, size, and migration of elvers (Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur)) in a coastal Rhode Island stream. Can J Zool 66:2528–2533
Jellyman DJ (1977) Invasion of a New Zealand freshwater stream by glass-eels of two Anguilla spp. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 11:193–209
Jellyman DJ (1979) Upstream migration of glass-eels (Anguilla spp.) in the W aikato River. N Z J M ar F reshw Res 13:13–22
Kawakami Y, Mochioka N, Nakazono A (1998) Immigration period and age of Anguilla japonica glass-eels entering rivers in northern Kyushu, Japan during 1994. Fish Sci 64:235–239
Kawakami Y, Mochioka N, Nakazono A (1999a) Immigration patterns of glass-eel Anguilla japonica entering river in northern Kyushu, Japan. Bull Mar Sci 64:315–327
Kawakami Y, Mochioka N, Kimura R, Nakazono A (1999b) Seasonal changes of the RNA/DNA ratio, size and lipid contents and immigration adaptability of Japanese glass-eels, Anguilla japonica, collected in northern Kyushu, Japan. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 238:1–19
Lecomte-Finiger R (1992) Growth history and age at recruitment of European glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) as revealed by otolith microstructure. Mar Biol 114:205–210
Lee TW, Lee KS (1989) Daily growth increments and lunar pattern in otolith of the eel, Anguilla japonica, in the freshwater. Bull Korean Fish Soc 22:36–40
Martin MH (1995) The effects of temperature, river flow, and tidal cycles on the onset of glass eel and elver migration into freshwater in the American eel. J Fish Biol 46:891–902
Marui M, Arai T, Miller M J, Jellyman D J, Tsukamoto K (2001) Comparison of early life history between New Zealand temperate eels and Pacific tropical eels revealed by otolith microstructure and microchemistry. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 213:273–284
Matsui I (1952) Studies on the morphology, ecology and the pond culture of the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica Temminck Schlegel). J Shimonoseki Coll Fish 2:1–245
Matsui I (1972) Eel biology: biological study. Koseisha-Koseikaku, Tokyo, pp 1–47
McCleave JD, Kleckner RC (1982) Selective tidal stream transport in the estuarine migration of glass eel of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata). J Cons Int Explor Mer 40:262–271
McCleave JD, Brickley PJ, O’Briem KM, Kistner DA, Wong MW, Gallagher M, Watson SM (1998) Do leptocephali of the European eel swim to reach continental waters? Status of the question. J Mar Biol Assoc U K 78:285–306
Otake T, Ishii T, Nakahara M, Nakamura R (1994) Drastic changes in otolith strontium/calcium ratios in leptocephali and glass eels of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 112:189–193
Ozaki Y, Okumura H, Kazeto Y, Ikeuchi T, Ijiri S, Nagae M, Adachi S,Yamauchi K (2000) Developmental changes in pituitary thyroid axis, and formation of gonads in leptocephali and glass eels of Anguilla spp. Fish Sci 66:1115–1122
Sakakura Y, Tsukamoto Y, Tsukamoto K, Okiyama M (1996) First record of Anguilla japonica glass eel collected in the Kuroshio Current. Fish Sci 62:496–497
Sakurai N (1981) Studies on the behaviour and catch fluctuation of the glass eels Anguilla japonica in the mouth of the Hikiji River, central Japan. PhD thesis, Nippon University, Tokyo
Sakurai N (1988) Ecology and behavior of the glass eel Anguilla japonica in the Hikiji River, central Japan. In: Proceedings, 10th seminar on science and technology. Ocean science for subtropical region of western North Pacific, December 1988, Tokyo. Interchange Association Japan, Tokyo
Strubberg A (1913) The metamorphosis of elvers as influenced by outward conditions. Medd Komm Havunders Ser Fisk 4:1–11
Sugeha HY,Arai T, Miller MJ, Limbong D, Tsukamoto K (2001a) Inshore migration of the tropical eels Anguilla spp. recruiting to the Poigar River estuary on north Sulawesi Island. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 221:233–243
Sugeha HY, Shinoda A, Marui M, Arai T, Tsukamoto K (2001b) Validation of otolith daily increments in the tropical eel Anguilla marmorata. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 220:291–294
Tabeta O, Takai T, Matsui I (1976a) The sectional counts of vertebrae in anguillid elvers. Jpn J Ichthyol 22:195–200
Tabeta O, Tanimoto T, Takai T, Matsui I, Imamura T (1976b) Seasonal occurrence of anguillid elvers in Cagayan River, Luzon Island, the Philippines. Bull Jpn Soc Sci Fish 42:421–426
Tabeta O, Tanaka K, Yamada J, Tzeng WN (1987) Aspects of the early life history of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica from otolith microstructure. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 53:1727–1734
Taniguchi N, Morita T (1979) Identification of European, American, and Japanese eels by lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase isozyme patterns. Bull Jpn Soc Sci Fish 45:37–41
Tesch FW (1977) The eel. Chapman & Hall, London, pp 14–19,102–110,133–150
Tomoda H, Uematsu K (1996) Morphologenesis of the brain in larval and juvenile Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica. Brain Behav Evol 47:33–41
Tsukamoto K (1989) Otolith daily growth increment in the Japanese eel. Bull Jpn Soc Sci Fish 55:1017–1021
Tsukamoto K (1992) Discovery of the spawning area for the Japanese eel. Nature (Lond) 356:789–791
Tsukamoto K, Umezawa A (1990) Early life history and oceanic migration of the eel, Anguilla japonica. Mer 28:188–198
Tzeng WN (1990) Relationship between growth rate and age at recruitment of Anguilla japonica elvers in a Taiwan estuary as inferred from otolith increments. Mar Biol 107:75–81
Tzeng WN, Tsai YC (1992) Otolith microstructure and daily age of Anguilla japonica Temminck Schlegel elvers from the estuaries of Taiwan with reference to unit stock and larval migration. J Fish Biol 40:845–857
Umezawa A, Tsukamoto K (1990) Age and birth date of the glass eel, Anguilla japonica, collected in Taiwan. Bull Jpn Soc Sci 56:1199–1202
Umezawa A, Tsukamoto K, Tabeta O,Yamakawa H (1989) Daily growth increments in the larval otolith of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Jpn J Ichthyol 35:440–444
Wang CH, Tzeng WN (1998) Interpretation of geographic variation in size of American eel, Anguilla rostrata, elvers of the Atlantic coast of North America using their life history and otolith ageing. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 168:35–43
Yoshida M, Uematsu K (1999) Spinal motor and dorsal root ganglionic neurons in the glass eels of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. Fish Sci 65:708–711
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2003 Springer-Verlag Tokyo
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tabeta, O., Mochioka, N. (2003). The Glass Eel. In: Aida, K., Tsukamoto, K., Yamauchi, K. (eds) Eel Biology. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-65907-5_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-65907-5_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo
Print ISBN: 978-4-431-65909-9
Online ISBN: 978-4-431-65907-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive