Diel feeding activity and intensity in the European eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) during an annual cycle in a Cantabrian stream

Diel and seasonal shifts in the feeding activity and intensity of a riverine stock of European eels, Anguilla anguilla (L.), were assessed in the Río LLorín, a right-side tributary of the Río Esva drainage (northwestern Spain). No consistent diel cycles were detected in either season (eels feed with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems
Main Authors: Costa-Dias S., Lobón-Cerviá J.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1051/kmae/2008010
https://doaj.org/article/c3bd14dacf184132a779d6555b616189
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Summary:Diel and seasonal shifts in the feeding activity and intensity of a riverine stock of European eels, Anguilla anguilla (L.), were assessed in the Río LLorín, a right-side tributary of the Río Esva drainage (northwestern Spain). No consistent diel cycles were detected in either season (eels feed with similar intensity in the day and at night), but increased feeding activity was evidenced during the warmer months relative to weaker but still significant activity in winter. Heterogeneity in both feeding activity and intensity may stem from the high rates of secondary production in the form of benthic food available for eels, and mild temperatures all year round.