River Eels Research Articles

Correction: Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas

Correction: Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas

Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas

Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas

Children’s IQ Reduction Due to Prenatal Fish MeHg Exposure in Coastal Areas: A Comparative Analysis

Maternal dietary exposure to heavy metals like methylmercury (MeHg) through fish consumption has long been associated with neurological disabilities, including Intelligence Quotient (IQ) reduction. The most common exposure pathway to MeHg is dietary intake through fish consumption. However, there has been limited research comparing the IQ reduction caused by different fish species in different coastal areas. As Kuwait, Hong Kong, and Shanghai are three coastal areas with different cuisines and fish consumption rates, they are chosen as sites where the health risk of children’s IQ reduction due to the consumption of fish is to be assessed in this analysis. The results of this study suggested that among the fifteen types of seafood examined in Kuwait, hamoor was determined to be the most dangerous species, causing the highest mean IQ reductions in Kuwait. Frozen cod fillet was estimated to cause the highest mean and median IQ reductions amongst the twenty-six seafood types in Hong Kong, China. River eel and sardine are considered to be capable of inflicting the highest mean and maximum IQ reductions in Shanghai. Overall, seafood in Kuwait is more prone to causing serious intellectual disabilities because of its highest mean IQ reduction on average amongst the three locations examined. On the other hand, most types of seafood in Hong Kong and Shanghai have much lower mean IQ reductions, and are thus considered generally safe for consumption.

An integrated decision driven design framework to support the ecological restoration of rivers

A structured and collaborative approach to design and decision‐making in the context of ecological restoration of rivers is developed and illustrated using a case study involving the mitigation of physical barriers to fish migration on the River Trent in the UK. The integrated design and decision-making framework provide a practical workflow model for structuring multi‐attribute decisions, engaging stakeholders, and assembling a design team needed to successfully plan environmental interventions. In our implementation team, members included ecologists, fisheries biologists, government scientists, and representatives of key stakeholder groups. The case study demonstrated a values‐based approach to implementing an ecological restoration plan that addresses some of the long‐standing barrier removal goals associated with the reintroduction of Atlantic salmon and European Union (EU) Habitats Directive listed species European lamprey and River eel. The integrated decision-driven, design framework approach is highlighted by trans-disciplinarily and social learning.

Estimations of Riverine Distribution, Abundance, and Biomass of Anguillid Eels in Japan and Taiwan Using Environmental DNA Analysis.

Although populations of anguillid eels have declined remarkably in recent decades, monitoring data on the spatial and temporal variation in their dynamics are often limited, particularly for tropical eel species. As there are often sympatries of multiple eel species in tropical rivers, identifying eel species based solely on morphological characteristics is challenging. Basin-scale surveys were conducted in rivers of southern Japan and northern Taiwan to investigate (1) whether the spatial distribution, abundance, and biomass of the tropical eel species, the giant mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata), can be monitored in rivers by comparing the results obtained from environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis with data from electrofishing and (2) the riverine distribution of the sympatric A. marmorata and the temperate eel species, the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), in this region using eDNA analysis. Although we found an much lower abundance of A. marmorata in the study region, we identified the eDNA of the species from all of the study sites (21 sites) where it was collected by electrofishing, in addition to 22 further study sites where it was not collected directly. This indicates that eDNA analysis has a greater sensitivity for detecting A. marmorata, making it a powerful tool for monitoring the spatial distribution of the species in rivers. We found a significant positive relationship between eDNA concentration and both the abundance and biomass of A. marmorata, and eDNA concentration seemed to better reflect the abundance of the species than did biomass. eDNA of both A. japonica and A. marmorata was identified from almost all rivers, indicating the sympatry of these species in this region, although the degree of sympatry differed between rivers. Though the eDNA concentration of A. japonica decreased significantly with increasing distance from the river mouth, no significant relationship was found for A. marmorata. This study is the first to demonstrate the potential usefulness of eDNA analysis for estimating the spatial distribution, abundance, and biomass of tropical eels in rivers and to further apply this method to investigate sympatry among anguillid species. eDNA analysis can help in obtaining data on the population dynamics of tropical eels, providing invaluable information for managing these species.

Chronic depression-like phenotype in male offspring mice following perinatal exposure to naturally contaminated eels with a mixture of organic and inorganic pollutants.

Previously, we demonstrated that maternal exposure to high, intermediate, or lowly contaminated European eels with a mixture of chemicals, during pregnancy and lactation, resulted in adult despair-like behavior, selectively in male offspring mice. Here, we investigate if depression-like behavior in offspring males was transient or permanent by monitoring immobility behavior, a measure of behavioral despair, at three distinct stages of life, including young adult (post-natal day (PND) 55), mature adult (PND 200) and middle (PNDs 335-336) age, in the forced swimming (FST) and the tail suspension (TST) tests. Oxidative stress markers including malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were evaluated in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum of middle-aged animals. Findings showed a significant enhancement of immobility behavior in the TST performed at young adult age (all p < 0.05) in the FST carried out at mature adult age (all p < 0.001) and in both behavioral tests realized at middle age (all p < 0.05, except one p = 0.06) in mice perinatally exposed to eels compared with non-exposed controls. Antioxidant-related enzyme activities, including SOD and CAT, were only elevated in the hippocampus of middle-aged males perinatally exposed to the two more polluted eels (all p < 0.05). Further, lipid peroxidation, assessed by MDA levels, was not found to be differentially regulated in the selected areas of middle-aged brains of exposed mice (all p > 0.05). Collectively, this suggested limited oxidative metabolism disturbances in middle-aged brains exposed to eels. In summary, our results highlighted that offspring males perinatally exposed to naturally contaminated reared and river eels with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals displayed chronic depression-like phenotype. As extrapolation of data to humans should be done with precaution, retrospective and prospective epidemiological studies are needed to clarify this potential relationship, stressed in our animal model, between maternal polluted fish consumption and chronically low mood in offspring.

Using ‘trap and transport’ to facilitate seaward migration of landlocked European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from lakes and reservoirs

‘Trap and transport’ (T&T) is employed to facilitate the seaward migration of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) past obstacles such as hydropower facilities. Hence, previous studies assessing its efficacy have focussed on disrupted fluvial systems. The transferability of findings from lotic to lentic systems is uncertain because many of the environmental cues that trigger eel migration in rivers are lacking from reservoirs and lakes, particularly those with limited flow connection to the surrounding catchment. We used acoustic telemetry to compare the migration behaviour of T&T adult A. anguilla which were fyke netted and transported from two disconnected reservoirs (n = 80) to a control group of resident river eel (n = 30) during their migration through the lower River Stour, UK, to the North Sea. Migration patterns and behaviour were broadly similar between the reservoir T&T eel and river eel with 86 and 90 % of each group successfully reaching the sea, respectively. Reservoir eel were larger and at a more advanced stage of migratory readiness (silvering) and commenced migration sooner after release than the river eel, but they descended the catchment at a slower rate. Behaviour in the estuary was highly variable between individuals with residence times ranging from 5 h to 83 days (median = 1.4 days) across all groups. Only one individual failed to migrate through the estuary and most (75 %) reached the sea within five days of entering the estuary. Findings indicate that T&T of adult eel from reservoirs represents a feasible method to allow landlocked individuals to migrate and potentially contribute to the spawning stock, either now or in the future. Results also highlighted the high capture effort that may be required to implement an effective T&T programme. Gaining a thorough understanding of eel abundance and population structure in the source waterbody is desirable before implementation.

Size-dependent changes in habitat use of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica during the river life stage

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) is a commercially important species; however, its population has declined in recent years. Appropriate conservation management, including habitat protection, is required to reverse this decline. However, their habitat use pattern during the riverine life stage is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal distribution and microhabitat of small-sized (<200 mm total length) and large-sized (≥200 mm total length) Japanese eels observed in 83 and 124 quadrats (1 m × 1 m), respectively, placed at seven stations in the Nikkeshi River in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Analysis using generalized linear models revealed that the eel density of both size classes decreased with increasing distance from the river mouth. In addition, the density of small-sized eels, but not large-sized ones, decreased as weir numbers increased. Moreover, analysis using generalized additive models showed that microhabitat uses differed between the size classes. The small-sized eels used near-shore habitats which had low current velocities. Their preferred habitats contained both complex substrates with smaller particle sizes and simple substrates with relatively large particle sizes. In contrast, the large-sized eels used both near-shore habitats with lower current velocities and the center of the river which had high current velocities. They preferred simple riverbed habitats with large particle-sized substrates and no underwater vegetation. These results suggest that there is a size-dependent change in the longitudinal distribution and microhabitat use of Japanese eels during their river life stage. These findings provide valuable information for the conservation and management of Japanese eels in rivers.

Environmental DNA analysis reveals the spatial distribution, abundance, and biomass of Japanese eels at the river‐basin scale

Abstract There is growing international concern about declines in populations of anguillid eels, resulting in their inclusion in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Monitoring the population dynamics of these species is often challenging, however, owing to their broad distributions and complex, catadromous life histories. Whether environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis could be used to monitor the spatial distribution of anguillid eels in rivers was investigated by conducting basin‐scale surveys of Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica Temminck &amp; Schlegel, 1846, in 10 rivers in Japan, and comparing the results obtained using eDNA analysis with the results obtained using the electrofishing method. Moreover, the relationship between the eDNA concentration and the abundance and biomass of Japanese eels was examined. The eDNA of Japanese eels was detected at 56 (91.8%) of the 61 study sites from which individuals were collected by electrofishing, and at an additional 35 sites where individuals were not directly collected. This indicates that eDNA analysis has a greater sensitivity for detecting the presence of eels, making it a powerful tool for monitoring the spatial distribution of anguillid eels in rivers. A significant, but weak, positive relationship between the eDNA concentration and the abundance and biomass of Japanese eels was also found, suggesting that eDNA analysis may be useful for estimating the abundance and biomass of anguillid eels in rivers. This is the first study to demonstrate the potential usefulness of eDNA analysis for estimating the spatial distribution, abundance, and biomass of Japanese eels in rivers. eDNA analysis will allow anguillid eel populations to be monitored over large spatial and temporal scales using a consistent protocol, with reduced time and effort compared with conventional techniques, providing invaluable information for managing populations of these endangered species.

Interspecific and sexual differences in riverine distribution of tropical eels Anguilla spp.

A total of 261 individuals of the four tropical eel species, Anguilla celebesensis, Anguilla marmorata, Anguilla bicolor pacifica and Anguilla interioris, were collected from 12 locations around Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, to gain knowledge about the riverine distribution of tropical eels. Anguilla marmorata was predominant in the lower reaches of Poso River (94·4% of total eel catch in the sampling area), Poso Lake (93·3%), three small inlet rivers of Tomini Bay (100%) and Laa River (92·3%). Anguilla celebesensis occurred frequently in the inlet rivers of Poso Lake (63·5%). Anguilla bicolor pacifica and Anguilla interioris were rare (1.5 and 0.4%, respectively). Otolith Sr:Ca ratio electron-probe micro analysis (EPMA) for individual migratory histories revealed that 15 A. celebesensis caught in Poso Lake and its inlet rivers were categorized into 14 river eels (Sr:Ca < 2·5) showing upstream migration seemingly at their elver stage and only one sea eel (Sr:Ca ≥ 6·0) that stayed in the marine habitat for the majority of its life after recruiting to Sulawesi Island before its late upstream migration. In A. marmorata, 19 examined eels from Poso Lake and its inlet rivers were all river eels, while 17 eels from the lower reaches of Poso River were two river eels, six sea eels and nine estuarine eels (2·5 ≤ Sr:Ca < 6·0) that mostly lived in the brackish water. The sex ratio of A. celebesensis was highly skewed towards a dominance of females (99%). In A. marmorata, females were predominant in Poso Lake (95·2%), its inlet rivers (94·7%) and Laa River (100%), while males were more frequent in the lower reaches of Poso River (76·5%) and small inlet rivers of Tomini Bay (94·1%). These results indicate that the riverine distribution pattern of tropical eels differs among species and between sexes.

Interspecific and sexual differences in riverine distribution of tropical eels Anguilla spp.

A total of 261 individuals of the four tropical eel species, Anguilla celebesensis, Anguilla marmorata, Anguilla bicolor pacifica and Anguilla interioris, were collected from 12 locations around Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, to gain knowledge about the riverine distribution of tropical eels. Anguilla marmorata was predominant in the lower reaches of Poso River (94·4% of total eel catch in the sampling area), Poso Lake (93·3%), three small inlet rivers of Tomini Bay (100%) and Laa River (92·3%). Anguilla celebesensis occurred frequently in the inlet rivers of Poso Lake (63·5%). Anguilla bicolor pacifica and Anguilla interioris were rare (1.5% and 0.4%, respectively). Otolith Sr:Ca ratio electron-probe micro analysis (EPMA) for individual migratory histories revealed that 15 A. celebesensis caught in Poso Lake and its inlet rivers were categorized into 14 river eels (Sr:Ca < 2·5) showing upstream migration seemingly at their elver stage and only one sea eel (Sr:Ca ≥ 6·0) that stayed in the marine habitat for the majority of its life after recruiting to Sulawesi Island before its late upstream migration. In A. marmorata, 19 examined eels from Poso Lake and its inlet rivers were all river eels, while 17 eels from the lower reaches of Poso River were two river eels, six sea eels and nine estuarine eels (2·5 ≤ Sr:Ca <6·0) that mostly lived in the brackish water. The sex ratio of A. celebesensis was highly skewed towards a dominance of females (99%). In A. marmorata, females were predominant in Poso Lake (95·2%), its inlet rivers (94·7%) and Laa River (100%), while males were more frequent in the lower reaches of Poso River (76·5%) and small inlet rivers of Tomini Bay (94·1%). These results indicate that the riverine distribution pattern of tropical eels differs among species and between sexes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Differences in the maturation level among life histories of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in the Nagata River, Japan

Abstract In order to understand the silver eel migration behavior of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica, the life history of both the yellow stage (immature stage) and the silver stage (early maturing stage) was examined during the silver eel migration period, using otolith microchemical analysis of strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations. The mean Sr:Ca ratios in A. japonica from the elver mark to the otolith edge indicate eels of several general categories of migratory histories, including sea eels (average Sr:Ca ratios, ≥ 6.0 × 10-3), estuarine eels (average Sr:Ca ratios, 2.0 × 10-3 ≤ Sr:Ca &lt; 6.0 × 10-3) and river eels (average Sr:Ca ratios, &lt; 2.0 × 10-3), based on the criteria reported previously in A. japonica. A significant negative correlation was observed between the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the mean Sr:Ca ratios during the growth phase after recruitment. Gonads of river eels were more developed compared to eels with other migratory histories. It thus appears that the maturation level for the silver eel migration to the open ocean varies depending on the life history.

SPECIES COMPOSITION OF FRESHWATER EELS (Anguilla spp.) IN EIGHT RIVERS FLOWING TO PALABUHANRATU BAY, SUKABUMI, INDONESIA

Freshwater eel (Anguilla spp.) is a catadromus fish that migrates from freshwater into seawater for spawning and return to freshwater during larvae stage to grow. The objective of this study was to determine species composition of tropical freshwater eels based on morphology collected from several rivers flowing in to the Palabuhan Ratu Bay. Young, adult, and glass eels were caught in August 2014 until Desember 2014. Glass eels were only caught in Cimandiri River. Freshwater eels were classified by ano-dorsal length (AD) divided by total length (TL), cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis based on morphometric data. The results showed different AD/TL of young and adult, i.e., 1.93±0.51 for A. bicolor bicolor, and 16.99±0.65 for A. marmorata, and three different AD/TL of glass eels i.e.,1.72±1.05 for A. bicolor bicolor6.60±1.79 for A. nebulosa nebulosa, and 15.07±1.04 for A. marmorata. Cluster analysis showed three groups of population characters of young and adult eels i.e. A. bicolor bicolor (2 groups) and A. marmorata (1 group). Discriminant analysis showed three groups of glass eels population i.e., A. bicolor bicolor, A. nebulosa nebulosa, and A. marmorata. Morphological identification showed that young and adult eels in Cibareno and Citepus rivers had two species i.e., A. bicolor bicolor and A. marmorata. Glass eels from Cimandiri river had three species i.e., A. bicolorbicolor, A. nebulosanebulosa, and A. marmorata. A. bicolor bicolor was found in each rivers and as a dominant species in Palabuhan Ratu Bay.Keywords: A. bicolor bicolor, A. marmorata, A. nebulosa nebulosa, species composition

Occurrence of larval and adult types of ion-secreting ionocytes in Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

The anguillid eels are catadromous fishes that migrate between marine and freshwater habitats. The long migration of eel larvae, called leptocephali, as long as thousands of kilometers in the ocean is important to determine their recruitment successes. The leptocephali in the ocean have a pelagic lifestyle totally different from the benthic one of glass eels and yellow eels in rivers. It is known that eel leptocephali have ionocytes on the body surface that may maintain ionic and osmotic status in the internal environment; however, detailed morphology and function of ionocytes in leptocephali are still unknown. In the present study, we aimed 1) to clarify the morphological features of the epidermis in Japanese eel Anguilla japonica leptocephali cultured in hyper-osmotic condition, and 2) to examine the ion-transporting functions of ionocytes of both leptocephali and yellow eels. Na+/K+-ATPase-immunoreactive ionocytes were distributed all over the body surface of leptocephali. Ionocytes were in contact with external environments through their apical membrane, which was located at the boundary of pavement cells. Na+/K+-ATPase-immunopositive cells were not observed in the skin of seawater-acclimated yellow eels. In ionocytes of the larval skin, the apical membrane appeared as a slightly projecting disk with a microvilli-like structure. Meanwhile, the apical membrane of gill ionocytes of yellow eels formed a concave surface. In ionocytes of leptocephali, mitochondria were enlarged and the tubular system was well developed, as compared with those of the gill of yellow eels. Ionocytes of leptocephali showed CFTR immunoreaction in their apical region and NKCC1 immunoreaction in their basolateral region, suggesting that the skin ionocytes are involved in salt secretion. These results support the notion that Japanese eel maintain their ion balance through skin ionocytes during early life stages, and that the skin ionocytes of leptocephali disappear in yellow eel stages after the formation of functional gills and gill ionocytes.

An Egg‐Per‐Recruit Model to Evaluate the Effects of Upstream Transport and Downstream Passage Mortality of American Eel in the Susquehanna River

AbstractDams and their associated effects on the migration and mortality of the American Eel Anguilla rostrata have been implicated as a significant factor in the current depleted status of the species along the Atlantic coast of North America. Female American Eels that mature in areas below dams may be smaller and have lower fecundity than individuals that mature in more upstream reaches of a river system. However, increased mortality associated with downstream migration through hydroelectric turbines may negate any reproductive advantage afforded to American Eels occupying areas upstream of hydroelectric facilities. We developed an American Eel egg‐per‐recruit (EPR) model to investigate how various levels of upstream and downstream passage may affect the reproductive output from rivers with hydroelectric facilities. We applied our model to the Susquehanna River and found that if American Eels are passed upstream of multiple dams on the river, cumulative downstream passage survival must be ≥33% for the upstream passage to be beneficial; otherwise, upstream passage is likely to result in an EPR deficit when compared with no passage. Cumulative downstream passage survival would need to increase substantially above 33% to have a high probability of making any gains in terms of EPR. Our EPR modeling framework can be adapted to other systems and used to make recommendations for necessary upstream and downstream passage for the conservation of American Eels in rivers impacted by hydroelectric facilities.Received December 24, 2013; accepted March 28, 2014

Declines in catches of Japanese eels in rivers and lakes across Japan: Have river and lake modifications reduced fishery catches?

Catches and recruitment of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, have declined for unknown reasons in recent decades, so examination of possible factors contributing to the declines is needed for resource management and conservation. One factor that has not been examined is the effect of habitat loss and alterations to aquatic community structure resulting from modifications of riverbanks and lakeshores. This study examined if there may be a relationship between riverbank and lakeshore revetment constructions and declines of Japanese eel catches in rivers and lakes in Japan, because levels of revetment may be a useful indicator of the degree of modifications to each aquatic system. Long-term trends in catches showed that although eel catches decreased in most locations and in Japan overall, large differences were observed in the rates of declines among locations. Catch reduction rates in 18 rivers and 9 lakes were positively correlated with the revetment rates of the shorelines of the rivers and lakes, suggesting that higher reductions in eel catches occurred in areas with high levels of revetment or other types of modifications. Evidence about the effects of revetment on aquatic community structure also suggests that revetment shorelines would negatively affect juvenile growth habitats for eels. Other types of habitat modifications or the creation of barriers to upstream movement by eels have also likely affected fisheries catches of Japanese eels, so detailed research is needed to determine how modifications have reduced eel production and if some kinds of habitat restorations may help to conserve this species.

Assay of Biochemical Compositions of Two Indian Fresh Water Eel with Special Emphasis on Accumulation of Toxic Heavy Metals

This study investigated lipid and protein composition of two river eel available in India, Mastacembelus armatus and Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis, to ascertain their nutritional value. The carnivorous nature of eel makes it susceptible for bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxic metal in their body; therefore, the measurement of two toxic heavy metals, mercury and arsenic, in the muscle tissues of these two eel species was also determined. The results showed that though the lipid content of both the species was quite low in comparison to European or Japanese eel, the protein content was appreciably high, and the value was quite similar in both species (∼24%). The fatty acid profile and amino acid profile of the two species were also determined to quantify the amount of essential fatty acid as well as essential amino acid in their muscle tissue. The amount of total mercury, organic mercury, and arsenic was found to be non-remarkable which indicates the beneficial and safe consumption of these species.

Behavioral migration diversity of the Yangtze River Japanese Eel, Anguilla japonica, based on otolith Sr/Ca ratios.

The Yangtze River estuary is the main production area of Anguilla japonica in China, as well as the only existing fishery area for adult eels. Japanese eels are distributed in the main rivers and many tributaries from the Yangtze River estuary to the upper Jinsha River, which extend to nearly 3 000 km. However, their migration behaviors remain relatively unknown. We analyzed the biological characteristics of 153 specimens of silver eels collected from the Jingjiang section of Yangtze River (31(o)30'N, 120(o)42'E) between September and November, 2008, and tested the sagittal Sr/Ca ratios of 27 specimens. Among the 153 specimens examined, 85 were female and 68 were male, which translated to a female-male ratio of 1 : 0.8. The ages of the female specimens ranged from 3 to 7 a (average 5.52) with an average total length (TL) of (669 ± 80) mm, average body weight (BW) of (555 ± 229)g, average condition factor of 1.77 ± 0.22, and average gonad somatic index (GSI) of 1.32 ± 0.31. The ages of the males ranged from 3 to 5 a (average:4.38) with an average TL of (518 ± 51) mm, average BW of (234 ± 76) g, average condition factor of 1.62 ± 0.18, and average GSI of 0.21 ± 0.11. All biological parameters of females were significantly larger than those of the male specimens (P<0.05). According to the average Sr/Ca ratio (7.99 ± 1.05) × 10(-3) of the elver mark of sagitta, 17 individuals (62.96%) were river eels and 10 individuals (37.04%) were estuarine eels. Of 16 females, 13 individuals (81.25%) were river eels and 3 were estuarine eels, while of 11 males, 36.36% were river eels and 63.64% were estuarine eels. The analysis on Sr/Ca ratios for every growth layer group (GLG) indicated there were no significant differences between second-age males and females. However, significant differences were observed between the third-age, fourth-age, and migration-age male and female specimens. This was likely related to the fact that second-age eels of both sexes stay in the same inhabitation waters; however, as they grow older, they move to different areas.

Micro-PIXE line-scan measurements of the yellow eel’s otolith

Anguilla japonica has a high economic value. The abundance had decreased significantly due to excessive fishing and change in the aquatic ecology. Life history patterns of A. japonica have been studied to prevent excessive fishing and make management plans. Strontium (Sr)–calcium (Ca) ratio along a line down the long axis from the core to the edge of the yellow eel’s otolith was measured using micro proton induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE). An efficient and precise method was proposed to locate the core where an otolith begins to grow, based on Sr concentration and distribution. Using this method, life history patterns of the yellow eels collected from Jingjiang River in China were investigated. In general, there are two types, river eels and estuarine eels.

Variation in organotin accumulation in relation to the life history in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

In order to examine the ecological risks caused by organotin compounds (OTs) in diadromous fish migrating between sea and freshwaters, tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) compounds and their breakdown products were determined in the catadromous eel Anguilla japonica, which has sea, estuarine and river life histories, collected in Japanese sea, brackish and freshwaters within the same region. Ontogenic changes in otolith strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were examined along the life history transect to discriminate the migration type. There were generally three different patterns, which were categorized as ‘sea eels’, ‘estuarine eels’ and ‘river eels’ according to the otolith Sr:Ca ratio. The concentrations of TBT in silver eels (mature eels) were significantly higher than that in yellow eels (immature eels), and the percentages of TBT were also higher in silver eels than in yellow eels. A positive correlation was found between TBT concentration and the gonad-somatic index (GSI). It is thus considered that silver eels have a higher risk of contamination by TBT than yellow eels. TBT and TPT concentrations in sea eels were significantly higher than those in river eels, while no significant differences were observed in TBT and TPT concentrations in estuarine eels compared to sea and river eels. These results suggest that sea eels have a higher ecological risk of OT contamination than river eels during their life history, and the risk of OTs in estuarine eels is considered to be intermediate between that of sea and river eels. Positive linear relationships were found between Sr:Ca ratios and the concentrations of TBT and TPT. Therefore, these results suggest that the ecological risk of OTs increase as the sea residence period in the eel becomes longer. TBT and TPT concentrations in sea eels were significantly higher than those in river eels even at the same growth stage. Thus, it is clear that migratory type is the most important factor for OT accumulation during the life history.