Diet of<i>Anguilla mossambica</i>(Teleostei, Anguillidae) elvers in the Sundays River, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Wasserman, Ryan J.; Pereira-da-Conceicoa, LL; Strydom, Nadine A.; Weyl, Olaf L. F.

doi:10.2989/16085914.2012.692320

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This study recorded preying of eels on Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis), one of the most important fish species for Japanese inland fisheries (Takahashi et al 2006). The dominant occurrence of aquatic insects in stomachs of small eels indicated the importance of this food source for juvenile yellow eel in freshwater as previously reported (Tesch 2003;Wasserman et al 2012). Eels collected in brackish waters of the Matsukawa-ura lagoon preyed on organisms of the mudflat and gobiid fishes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Understanding the feeding ecology and foraging behavior of yellow eels is not only important for the management and conservation of the species but also the biota that eels are associated with. Yellow eels are amongst the top predators in their respective habitats, feeding on a broad range of mainly bottom-dwelling organisms (Dörner et al 2009;Kaifu et al 2012Wasserman et al 2012, Itakura et al 2015b). Yellowphase Japanese eels in brackish water and estuaries feed mainly on crustaceans, with the crab genus Hempigrapsus being an important food source, as well as polychaetes (Kaifu et al 2012;Kan et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Foraging behavior of yellow-phase Japanese eels between connected fresh- and brackish water habitats

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) utilize a broad range of habitats along the marine-freshwater ecotone during their growth phase in inland waters. This study aimed to analyze the foraging behavior of yellowphase Japanese eels in connected fresh-and brackish water habitats and to connect foraging behavior and habitat use through the analysis of carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) stable isotopes. Stomach contents of eels collected in fresh-and brackish waters were analyzed to identify food sources. Values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N were analyzed in eels and their potential food sources, and used to predict the recent foraging patterns of eels in the Matsukawa-ura, a brackish water lagoon, and in three freshwater tributaries. Eels preyed on the benthic river community and the mudflat community of the lagoon. Gobiid fishes were found to be an important food source for eels in fresh-and brackish water habitats, while Japanese mitten crabs (Eriocheir japonica) and shore crabs (Hemigrapsus spp.) were major prey in fresh-and brackish waters respectively. δ 13 C values of potential eel prey differed significantly between freshand brackish waters and were used to classify three recent patterns of foraging by the 73 eels included in this study: 1) freshwater foraging, 2) brackish water foraging, and 3) multiple-habitat foraging. The data suggested that some eels recently or frequently moved between fresh-and brackish water habitats while others demonstrated a higher fidelity to either fresh-or brackish waters. Isotopic characteristics of prey in the respective foraging habitats revealed the plasticity of habitat use of yellow eels in the study area. This study demonstrates an integrated approach to study habitat use and foraging behavior of eels. Furthermore, the study underlines the need to consider freshwater and estuarine habitats and the connectivity between them for eel management and conservation.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging behavior of yellow-phase Japanese eels between connected fresh- and brackish water habitats

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Yellow eels are usually one of the top predators in the continental waters because they feed on a wide range of aquatic animals, particularly benthic species and small fishes (Dörner et al, 2009;Itakura, Kaino, Miyake, Kitagawa, & Kimura, 2015;Jellyman, 1989;Wasserman, Pereira-da-Conceicoa, Strydom, & Weyl, 2012). As only this stage can be partially managed by humans in addition to subsequent silver eel stage, it is important that the ecology of yellow eels, particularly the behavioural trait, such as their activity patterns, movements and home ranges, is clarified for the conservation and management of these species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding the behavioural traits of eels is not only economically important but also ecologically important in several regions of the world. Yellow eels are usually one of the top predators in the continental waters because they feed on a wide range of aquatic animals, particularly benthic species and small fishes (Dörner et al, 2009;Itakura, Kaino, Miyake, Kitagawa, & Kimura, 2015;Jellyman, 1989;Wasserman, Pereira-da-Conceicoa, Strydom, & Weyl, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Site fidelity, diel and seasonal activities of yellow‐phase Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) in a freshwater habitat as inferred from acoustic telemetry

Itakura

Miyake

Kitagawa

et al. 2017

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) perform large-scale oceanic migrations between their spawning ground and growth habitats in continental waters during life history.However, between these migrations, they spend most of time in growth habitats such as rivers. To investigate the diel and seasonal activities, homing behaviour and home range of yellow-phase Japanese eels in the lower reach of the Tone River, we tracked them throughout a year using a fine-scale positioning system (VPS) based on acoustic telemetry. The tracked eels were generally nocturnal, but not exclusively. They were mainly mobile from spring to autumn, with little or no activity observed during winter.A transport-release experiment showed that most eels returned to their original capture area within 13 days after release. The eels had very small home ranges (mean ± S D = 0.085 ± 0.068 km 2 ), core areas (0.014 ± 0.014 km 2 ) and linear home ranges (744 ± 268 m). They also tended to be distributed on one particular side of the river (right or left bank) and in one particular shore type (revetment or vegetation), rarely moving from one to the other. This study provides evidence for nocturnal, dormancy, homing behaviours, limited habitat use and small home range size in Japanese eels.The eels clearly showed strong fidelity to a "familiar" site, which contrasts with the long distances travelled during upstream and downstream migration phases in the river, and during spawning migrations in the ocean. K E Y W O R D Sacoustic telemetry, Anguilla japonica, dormancy, home range, homing behaviour, VR2WPositioning System

show abstract

“…Such planktonic feeding behaviour by juvenile eels is certainly not exceptional because the authors’ observation of planktonic crustaceans as favourite prey is shared with cultivation experiments in aquaria (Tesch, 2003) or outdoor earthen ponds (Belpaire et al ., 1992; Lecomte‐Finiger, 1983). Kara and Quignard (2018) as well claimed that pigmented glass eels start feeding on planktonic prey first before progressively adopting a more generalist non‐selective benthic feeding behaviour as also observed for other eel species (Pitman & Schmidt, 2012; Wasserman et al ., 2012). The preference of glass eels for planktonic crustaceans as food source had serious consequences for the general health of the population in the past.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glass eel (Anguilla anguilla L. 1758) feeding behaviour during upstream migration in an artificial waterway

Wichelen

Verhelst

Perneel

et al. 2022

Journal of Fish Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The transition from marine to fresh water is a challenging task for juvenile eels. This critical step in the early eels' life is preceded by a metamorphosis from the oceanic larval to the continental glass eel stage, requiring major energy-demanding morphological, physiological and behavioural modifications during which time these animals do not feed. The success of the glass eels' inland migration after metamorphosis will largely depend on remaining energy levels, which can be supplemented only by resuming food uptake. Although it is crucial for their survival and the maintenance of the population, the feeding behaviour of glass eels is still an understudied aspect of the eels' complex life cycle. Many uncertainties about the phenology, diet, potential prey preferences and their relation with migration modus (migratory vs. sedentary) still remain. In this study, the authors analysed the stomach and gut contents of 458 European glass eels (Anguilla anguilla L. 1758) captured in a drainage canal connecting a small mesotidal estuary with an adjacent polder area during the spring migration seasons of 2016 and 2017. They demonstrated that although glass eels started feeding briefly upon arrival in the estuary, food uptake for early arrivals was restricted to a minority that sparsely feed on detritus and some worm-like benthic invertebrates. Along the season, food uptake intensified eventually engaging all glass eels and their dietary palette diversified including a wide array of planktonic and benthic organisms. Crustacean plankton (mainly cyclopoid copepods) was an important part of the glass eel diet, whereas benthic oligochaetes were less abundant as food source in spite of their high presence in the sediments. No clear differences in feeding behaviour could be observed between migratory and sedentary glass eels. This study showed that glass eels can use highly artificial and dynamic drainage canals as feeding ground during their critical marine/freshwater transition. This outcome is also a plea to improve the accessibility of alternative (unnatural) migration routes between the ocean and suitable freshwater growth habitats for the European eel.

show abstract

Diet ofAnguilla mossambica(Teleostei, Anguillidae) elvers in the Sundays River, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Cited by 11 publications

References 14 publications

Foraging behavior of yellow-phase Japanese eels between connected fresh- and brackish water habitats

Foraging behavior of yellow-phase Japanese eels between connected fresh- and brackish water habitats

Site fidelity, diel and seasonal activities of yellow‐phase Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) in a freshwater habitat as inferred from acoustic telemetry

Glass eel (Anguilla anguilla L. 1758) feeding behaviour during upstream migration in an artificial waterway

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About