Ecology Summary - Anguilla anguilla

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Main Ref.	Deelder, C.L., 1984
Remarks	Observed transients in the intertidal zone (Ref.49162). Observations have shown that scent and taste appear to be more important than sight for foraging purposes (Ref. 172). Smaller individuals feed mainly on insect larvae, molluscs, worms, and crustaceans; subadults on benthic invertebrates and fish (Ref. 51442); larger individuals on other fishes. This species can also be a scavenger, feeding on carcasses. Yellow and silver eels are nocturnal and opportunistically feeding on virtually all small animals they encounter. Cannibalism occurs amongst yellow eels (Ref. 172). Feeding ceases when silver eels start their spawning migration and rely on their lipid reserves for energy. Leptocephali feed on gelatinous zooplankton (e.g. Hydrozoa, Thaliacea and Ctenophora) (Ref. 89143). Based on next-generation 18S rRNA gene sequencing, Hydrozoa (mostly siphonophores), dominates the leptocephali larvae diet (at least 75%), while copepods and euphausiids are less abundant (7%) (Ref. 117894).

Main Ref.

Deelder, C.L., 1984

Remarks

Observed transients in the intertidal zone (Ref.49162). Observations have shown that scent and taste appear to be more important than sight for foraging purposes (Ref. 172). Smaller individuals feed mainly on insect larvae, molluscs, worms, and crustaceans; subadults on benthic invertebrates and fish (Ref. 51442); larger individuals on other fishes. This species can also be a scavenger, feeding on carcasses. Yellow and silver eels are nocturnal and opportunistically feeding on virtually all small animals they encounter. Cannibalism occurs amongst yellow eels (Ref. 172). Feeding ceases when silver eels start their spawning migration and rely on their lipid reserves for energy. Leptocephali feed on gelatinous zooplankton (e.g. Hydrozoa, Thaliacea and Ctenophora) (Ref. 89143). Based on next-generation 18S rRNA gene sequencing, Hydrozoa (mostly siphonophores), dominates the leptocephali larvae diet (at least 75%), while copepods and euphausiids are less abundant (7%) (Ref. 117894).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Anguilla anguilla may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Costa, J.L., C.A. Assis, P.R. Almeida, F.M. Moreira and M.J. Costa, 1992
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Costa, J.L., C.A. Assis, P.R. Almeida, F.M. Moreira and M.J. Costa, 1992

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	Original sample		Unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	3.55	0.30	3.55	0.59	Troph of juv./adults from 1 study.
From individual food items	3.67	0.74			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Costa, J.L., C.A. Assis, P.R. Almeida, F.M. Moreira and M.J. Costa, 1992

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