On the age and growth of the freshwater eel ( Anguilla anguilla)

• Published in: Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Sinha, V. R. P., Jones, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1967
• Subjects: Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1967.tb05033.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-7998.1967.tb05033.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1967.tb05033.x; https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1967.tb05033.x

The growth of over a 1000 eels from three different watersheds was investigated. Because of the difficulties of sexing eels we were only able to compare the size of females with that of eels with lobulate organs (some of the latter are potential females). Generally female eels grow faster than the others. There was little difference in the growth of eels with lobulate organs even though there was a great difference in the eel population density in the three localities. But, in any one locality there was a large range of growth. It is suggested that the competition for food is most acute amongst the smaller size groups. As they grow, eels tend to become cannibalistic and find small eels and elvers an easy source of food. The growth of some continental eels has been related to temperature but this is not confirmed by experimental work. Nevertheless eels eat little or nothing at low temperature as is shown by the large percentage of eels with empty stomachs in our samples.