Oceanic spawning ecology of freshwater eels in the western North Pacific

Katsumi Tsukamoto (), Seinen Chow, Tsuguo Otake, Hiroaki Kurogi, Noritaka Mochioka, Michael J. Miller, Jun Aoyama, Shingo Kimura, Shun Watanabe, Tatsuki Yoshinaga, Akira Shinoda, Mari Kuroki, Machiko Oya, Tomowo Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hata, Shigeho Ijiri, Yukinori Kazeto, Kazuharu Nomura and Hideki Tanaka
Additional contact information
Katsumi Tsukamoto: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Seinen Chow: National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency
Tsuguo Otake: International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Hiroaki Kurogi: National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency
Noritaka Mochioka: Bioresource Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
Michael J. Miller: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Jun Aoyama: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Shingo Kimura: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences/Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Shun Watanabe: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Tatsuki Yoshinaga: School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University
Akira Shinoda: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Mari Kuroki: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Machiko Oya: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
Tomowo Watanabe: Marine Environmental Data Integrated Analysis Center, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency
Kazuhiro Hata: Training and Education Center, National Fisheries University
Shigeho Ijiri: Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University
Yukinori Kazeto: Tamaki Station, National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency
Kazuharu Nomura: National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency
Hideki Tanaka: National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency

Nature Communications, 2011, vol. 2, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The natural reproductive ecology of freshwater eels remained a mystery even after some of their offshore spawning areas were discovered approximately 100 years ago. In this study, we investigate the spawning ecology of freshwater eels for the first time using collections of eggs, larvae and spawning-condition adults of two species in their shared spawning area in the Pacific. Ovaries of female Japanese eel and giant mottled eel adults were polycyclic, suggesting that freshwater eels can spawn more than once during a spawning season. The first collection of Japanese eel eggs near the West Mariana Ridge where adults and newly hatched larvae were also caught shows that spawning occurs during new moon periods throughout the spawning season. The depths where adults and newly hatched larvae were captured indicate that spawning occurs in shallower layers of 150–200 m and not at great depths. This type of spawning may reduce predation and facilitate reproductive success.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1174

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