AnAge entry for Anguilla anguilla
Classification (HAGRID: 03792)
- Taxonomy
-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Genus: Anguilla
- Species
- Anguilla anguilla
- Common name
- European eel
- Synonyms
- Anguilla vulgaris
Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits
- Maximum longevity
- 88 years (captivity)
- Source
- ref. 2
- Sample size
- Small
- Data quality
- Acceptable
- Observations
In the wild, these semelparous animals die after first spawning. After transformation from juvenile to adult stage they do not eat and feature elevated corticosteroids while they migrate to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. Preventing migration by keeping animals in captivity significantly extends lifespan. One female called "Putte", generally assumed to be a European eel, died at Halsinborgs Museum in Sweden at about 88 years of age [0002]. In the wild, animals do not commonly live more than 10-15 years, though it is possible some live up to 30 years [0454].
Life history traits (averages)
- Female sexual maturity
- 4,562 days
- Male sexual maturity
- 4,015 days
- Adult weight
- 3,629 g
Metabolism
No information on metabolism is available.
References
- [0523] Das (1994), Age determination and longevity in fishes (PubMed)
- [0232] Corda et al. (1991), Age-related decrease in the density of benzodiazepine recognition sites in the brain of the fresh water eel (Anguilla anguilla) (PubMed)
- [0002] Caleb Finch (1990), Longevity, Senescence, and the Genome
- [0454] Froese and Pauly, FishBase
External Resources
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System
- ITIS 161128
- Animal Diversity Web
- ADW account (if available)
- Encyclopaedia of Life
- Search EOL
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Taxonomy ID 7936
- Entrez
- Search all databases
- Ageing Literature
- Search Google Scholar or Search PubMed
- Images
- Google Image search
- Internet
- Search Google