First artificial hybrid of the eel species Anguilla australis and Anguilla anguilla.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies on artificial hybridization of different Anguilla species were conducted recently, i.e. female A. australis with male A. dieffenbachii, and female A. japonica with male A. anguilla. The existence of these artificial hybrids was however not demonstrated by independent genetic methods. Two species - A. anguilla and A. australis - that are phylogenetically close but have different sexual maturation times (12-25 weeks and 6-8 weeks, respectively), were expected to produce favourable hybrids for reproduction studies.

Results

A modification of the protocol for the reproduction of Anguilla japonica was used to produce eight-day Anguilla australis larvae, with a success rate of 71.4%. Thus ten out of 14 females produced eggs that could be fertilized, and three bat

SUBMITTER: Burgerhout E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3063818 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature