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The Glass Eel

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Eel Biology

Abstract

During metamorphosis from the leptocephalus larva to glass eel, which occurs before entering freshwater, eel larvae undergo marked changes in the somatic structures from the leaflike shape of the leptocephalus to the adult-like shape of the glass eel. “Glass eel” is defined here a developmental stage from the end of metamorphosis in the leptocephalus to the beginning of pigmentation (stage VA-VI A; Tesch 1977). Following this stage the young eels are called “elvers” (Tesch 1977). The glass eels and elvers are regarded as the same category at times when they are variously referred to as glass eels, elvers, and juveniles, and are often undistinguishable in the literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3-8-5 Katanawanishi, Nakagawa, Fukuoka, 811-1202, Japan

    Osame Tabeta

  2. Laboratory of Fisheries Biology, Division of Marine Bioresources, Department of Animal and Marine Bioresource Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

    Noritaka Mochioka

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  1. Osame Tabeta
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  2. Noritaka Mochioka
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, 113-8657, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Katsumi Aida Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-15-1 Minamidai, 164-8639, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Katsumi Tsukamoto Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  3. Division of Marine Biosciences, Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minatomachi, 041-8611, Hakodate, Japan

    Kohei Yamauchi Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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Tabeta, O., Mochioka, N. (2003). The Glass Eel. In: Aida, K., Tsukamoto, K., Yamauchi, K. (eds) Eel Biology. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-65907-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-65907-5_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-65909-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-65907-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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