Orientation of the American Eel, Anguilla rostrata
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Authors
Grecay, Paul A.
Issue Date
1978-04-19
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Anguilla rostrata , Eel , Orientation
Alternative Title
Abstract
The use of geomagnetism as a navigational aid by American and European eels during their seaward migration has recently been and currently is an area of research. This investigation reviewed previous studies concerning the use of geomagnetism as well as light and olfaction as guidance mechanisms during various life stages of American and European eels. In this study yellow-phase and silver-phase American eels were investigated for their orientational (directional) preferences in a chambered tank. The eels were observed while the tank was rotating and while the tank was stationary. In general, the eels were found to prefer easterly directions--particularly northeast. The variability with which the eels sought their preferred directions decreased or increased depending upon whether they were examined in the tank while it was rotating or while it was stationary. It is believed that because no other orientational cues were available to the eels during testing, the orientation which was observed to occur was dependent upon geomagnetism. This supports some current theories that eels make use of directional cues derived directly from the earth*s magnetic field or from oceanic electric fields which are associated with the geomagnetic field in making their long migration across the open sea to their breeding places in the Sargasso Sea.
Description
This thesis is being archived as a Digitized Shelf Copy for campus access to current students and staff only. We currently cannot provide this open access without the author's permission. If you are the author of this work and desire to provide it open access or wish access removed please contact the Wahlstrom Library to discuss permission.
Citation
P.A. Grecay, "Orientation of the American Eel, Anguilla rostrata", Thesis, School of Arts & Sciences, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 1978.