Cultivation of larvae of Japanese eel

Abstract

ALTHOUGH the breeding place of the European eel has been detected 1, the morphology and ecology of their larvae, especially in pre-leptocephalus stages, still remain to be investigated. We have, however, succeeded2-4 in obtaining some pre-larvae of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, following artificial induction of maturation and spawning in aquaria, the larvae survived for only 6 d; their teeth characteristic of muraenoid larvae were merely in the state of anlagen and their eyes were completely devoid of retinal pigment. Further information of the early development of the eel is therefore required to enable elucidation of their life history. Here, we describe the larvae of Japanese eel developing for up to 14 d in the laboratory. © 1976 Nature Publishing Group.