The <i>Anguilla</i> spp. migration problem: 40 million years of evolution and two millennia of speculation

Righton, David; Aarestrup, Kim; Jellyman, D. J.; Sébert, Philippe; Thillart, G. van den; Tsukamoto, Katsumi

doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03373.x

Cited by 60 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 108 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The possibility of leptocephali swimming towards their recruitment areas has been considered (Tesch 2003;Righton et al 2012;Miller et al 2015a) or critically evaluated (McCleave et al 1998) for A. anguilla or discussed in relation to whether marine eel leptocephali may swim to reach recruitment areas (Wuenschel and Able 2008;Miller 2009). Modelling studies show that directional swimming may be important for successful recruitment (Rypina et al 2014;Chang et al 2015), and coral reef larvae that were historically thought to passively drift towards their recruitment areas are now known to use oriented swimming (Leis 2002(Leis , 2006.…”

Section: Possible Swimming By Late-stage Leptocephalimentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecology of oceanic dispersal and survival of anguillid leptocephali

Miller

Tsukamoto

2017

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recruitment declines of anguillid eels are difficult to understand because both anthropogenic impacts on juveniles and adults and oceanic changes affecting larval survival or dispersal may be contributing. Anguillid larvae may passively disperse widely from offshore spawning areas but late-stage larvae or glass eels apparently must swim directionally to reach recruitment habitats. Their long larval durations vary among tropical (ϳ3-4 months) and temperate species (5 months to >1 year). The bodies of anguillid leptocephali are filled with transparent gelatinous material, possibly reducing predation rates and providing an energy reserve for swimming and metamorphosis. Leptocephali feed on marine snow making their first-feeding success linked to primary producers contributing to marine snow production. Alternations between ubiquitous cyanobacteria dominating in low-nutrient conditions and eukaryotic phytoplankton such as diatoms that are important for marine snow production dominating in high-nutrient conditions may influence early-larval survival at first-feeding due to many eggs simultaneously hatching within sympatric spawning areas. Fewer spawning eels resulting from population reductions and variations in early-larval survival may offer some explanations for lower and fluctuating recruitment in recent decades.Résumé : Les baisses du recrutement d'anguillidés sont difficiles à comprendre parce que des impacts de l'activité humaine sur les juvéniles et les adultes et des changements océaniques influant sur la survie et la dispersion des larves pourraient y participer. Les larves d'anguillidés peuvent se disperser largement de manière passive à partir de lieux de frai au large, mais les larves tardives ou les civelles doivent apparemment nager de manière directionnelle pour atteindre les habitats de recrutement. Leurs longues périodes larvaires sont différentes pour les espèces de climat tropical (de 3 à 4 mois) et tempéré (de 5 mois à >1 an). Les corps de leptocéphales d'anguillidés sont remplis d'une matière gélatineuse transparente, ce qui réduit possiblement les taux de prédation et fournit une réserve d'énergie pour la nage et la métamorphose. Les leptocéphales se nourrissent de neige marine, de sorte que la réussite après la résorption est reliée aux producteurs primaires qui contribuent à la production de neige marine. Des alternances de cyanobactéries ubiquistes dominantes dans des conditions pauvres en nutriments et de phytoplancton eucaryote comme des diatomées, importantes pour la production de neige marine, dominant dans des conditions riches en nutriments pourraient influencer la survie précoce des larves après la résorption en raison des nombreux oeufs qui éclosent simultanément dans des lieux de frai sympatriques. La baisse du nombre d'anguilles reproductrices découlant de la réduction des populations et des variations de la survie précoce des larves pourrait constituer une piste pour expliquer le recrutement plus faible et variable des récentes décennies. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

show abstract

Section: Possible Swimming By Late-stage Leptocephalimentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecology of oceanic dispersal and survival of anguillid leptocephali

Miller

Tsukamoto

2017

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The catadromous European eel, one of the most spectacular fish migrants, undertakes an extreme (5000-6000 km) spawning migration from Europe to the Sargasso Sea in a fasting state; a journey that takes several months to complete (Tesch 2003;Aarestrup et al 2009;Righton et al 2012). Eels deposit lipids as the primary energy reserve and have been proposed to depart towards the spawning grounds when the fat reserve exceeds a threshold level (Boetius and Boetius 1985;Larsson et al 1990).…”

Section: The Energetics Of Migratory Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All fish migrants that cross the interface between freshwater and saline habitats must therefore undergo physiological changes (Hinch et al 2005;Righton et al 2012). Diadromous migratory behaviour and the capacity to adapt and survive in habitats that differ in salinity are widespread and have been documented in a diverse range of fish species, from Atlantic salmon to pike (Chapman et al 2012b).…”

Section: Crossing the Interface: Osmoregulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

There and back again: migration in freshwater fishes

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Animal migration is an amazing phenomenon that has fascinated humans for long. Many freshwater fishes also show remarkable migrations, whereof the spectacular mass migrations of salmonids from the spawning streams are the most well known and well studied. However, recent studies have shown that migration occurs in a range of freshwater fish taxa from many different habitats. In this review we focus on the causes and consequences of migration in freshwater fishes. We start with an introduction of concepts and categories of migration, and then address the evolutionary causes that drive individuals to make these migratory journeys. The basis for the decision of an individual fish to migrate or stay resident is an evaluation of the costs and benefits of different strategies to maximize its lifetime reproductive effort. We provide examples by discussing our own work on the causes behind seasonal migration in a cyprinid fish, roach (Rutilus rutilus (L., 1758)), within this framework. We then highlight different adaptations that allow fish to migrate over sometimes vast journeys across space, including capacity for orientation, osmoregulation, and efficient energy expenditure. Following this we consider the consequences of migration in freshwater fish from ecological, evolutionary, and conservation perspectives, and finally, we detail some of the recent developments in the methodologies used to collect data on fish migration and how these could be used in future research.Key words: fish migration, seasonal, evolution, consequences, cyprinids.Résumé : L'étonnant phénomène des migrations animales fascine les humains depuis belle lurette. De remarquables migrations caractérisent de nombreux poissons d'eau douce, les migrations massives des salmonidés à partir de leur cours d'eau d'origine étant les plus connues et les plus étudiées. Cela dit, des études récentes ont démontré l'existence de migrations chez divers taxons de poissons dulcicoles d'habitats nombreux et variés. Dans la présente synthèse, nous nous penchons sur les causes et conséquences de la migration chez les poissons dulcicoles. Nous abordons en premier lieu les concepts importants et les catégories de migration, puis examinons les causes évolutionnaires qui amènent des individus à accomplir ces déplacements migratoires. La décision d'un poisson donné de migrer ou de demeurer en place repose sur une évaluation des coûts et avantages de différentes stratégies visant à optimiser son effort de reproduction durant sa durée de vie. Nous présentons des exemples basés sur nos propres travaux sur les causes de la migration saisonnière chez un poisson cyprinidé, le gardon (Rutilus rutilus (L., 1758)), dans ce cadre. Nous décrivons ensuite différentes adaptations qui permettent dans certains cas à des poissons de migrer sur de grandes distances, dont une capacité d'orientation, l'osmorégulation et l'efficience des dépenses énergétiques. Nous examinons ensuite les conséquences de la migration chez les poissons dulcicoles des points de vue écologique, évolutio...

show abstract

“…After several years of growth, eels return to the coast and in a process called silvering, prepare for their long-distance migration back to the Sargasso Sea, the expected spawning ground of this species (Schmidt 1923; Miller et al 2015). Silvering includes, for example, changes in body color, enlargement of the eyes with a concomitant increase in the number of rods on the retina, appearance of neuromasts along the lateral line, increase of body fat content, and adjustment of ionoregulatory and osmoregulatory processes for a life in seawater (Tesch et al 2003; van Ginneken and Maes 2005; Righton et al 2012). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anguillicola crassus impairs the silvering-related enhancements of the ROS defense capacity in swimbladder tissue of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Schneebauer

Hanel²,

Pelster

2016

J Comp Physiol B

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In a process called silvering, European eels prepare for their long-distance migration from European freshwater systems to the Sargasso Sea for reproduction. During this journey, eels perform extended diel vertical migrations, and the concomitant changes in hydrostatic pressure significantly affect the swimbladder, functioning as a buoyancy organ. As the swimbladder is primarily filled with oxygen, the tissue has to cope with extreme hyperoxic conditions, which typically are accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. In addition, since the introduction of the parasitic nematode Anguillicola crassus in the early 1980s, swimbladder function of most of the European eels is impaired by the infection with this parasite. However, the exact pathways to detoxify ROS and how these pathways are affected by silvering or the infection are still unknown. In swimbladder and muscle tissue from uninfected and infected yellow, and from uninfected and infected silver eels, we measured the level of lipid peroxidation, which increases with ROS stress. To assess the capacity of the ROS defense systems, we analyzed the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), and determined the concentration of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH + GSSG). In swimbladder tissue, we found increased concentrations of GSH + GSSG as well as higher activities of SOD, GPx and GR, suggesting that SOD and the glutathione cycle are important for ROS detoxification. Comparing swimbladder tissue of uninfected yellow with uninfected silver eels, the concentration of GSH + GSSG and the activity of SOD were higher after silvering, corresponding with lower levels of lipid peroxidation. Whereas in yellow eels the infection with A. crassus had no effect, in silver eels the capacity to cope with ROS was significantly impaired. In muscle tissue, silvering or the infection only affected the activity of SOD but in exactly the same way as in swimbladder tissue.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00360-016-0994-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

show abstract

The Anguilla spp. migration problem: 40 million years of evolution and two millennia of speculation

Cited by 60 publications

References 108 publications

The ecology of oceanic dispersal and survival of anguillid leptocephali

The ecology of oceanic dispersal and survival of anguillid leptocephali

There and back again: migration in freshwater fishes

Anguillicola crassus impairs the silvering-related enhancements of the ROS defense capacity in swimbladder tissue of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About