![]() However, Politis disputed some statements made in the TikTok video and went on to say that eel reproduction has been observed in captivity. This was corroborated to Newsweek by Sebastian Nikitas Politis, a researcher at the National Institute of Aquatic Resources in Denmark who led a study in breeding eels in captivity. The last stage of their lives, Cooke states, is mysterious, because researchers have been unable to find their breeding grounds and "still haven't observed mating in the wild, or found a single eel egg."Ĭooke adds that the leading theory of eel reproduction is that they reproduce by external fertilization, in which clouds of sperm fertilize free-floating eggs. ![]() In a TED Talk article available online, zoologist Lucy Cooke states that the life of the freshwater eel begins in the Bermuda Triangle and they then make their way to continental waters. The lack of data that researchers have on freshwater eel reproduction is well-documented. It also received thousands of likes and retweets on Twitter where it was reposted. The video has proved extremely popular, gaining 1.8 million likes and over 133,000 shares on TikTok. He adds: "We have never observed eels mating in captivity or in the wild." The user goes on to describe other aspects about eels that scientists are puzzled by, including that "if you dissect one and you look inside, you will not find sexual organs". He states: "We have been to the moon and yet we still do not know how eels sexually reproduce." The user relays facts about how little scientists know about the reproductive cycle of the eel species Anguilla anguilla, also known as the European eel or freshwater eels. On August 14, TikTok user ColeTheScienceDude published a video titled "We Don't Know Where Eels Come From." Also, try here for a direct link to an excellent picture of leptocephali devolopment from the same article.Eels have become a hot topic on social media as users discuss a compelling mystery about where they come from. As you can tell, this is a complex, and seemingly long life cycle for a fish!Ĭlick here for a great source of information on the whole Anguilla genus, including great life cycle information. They live as yellow eels for 5-20 years before maturing into silver eels which return to the ocean to spawn. Over the next two years, they mature into yellow eel adults. Once they reach freshwater, they develop into elvers, which are smaller versions of the adult form. Sometime during the journey, they transform into glass eels, which are more elongated and eel like, but still transparent. This process takes from 1 to 5 years before the eels reach freshwater. The eggs hatch into leptocephali, paper thin transparent larva, and are carried by the Kuroshio current. The eggs are laid, and the mature eels die. For now, we only know that the location maximizes the efficiency of entry into the Kuroshio current, a powerful ocean current that leads them directly into the coastal areas they are normally found. This location was only recently revealed, and the extent of its significance is not yet know. This location is nearby an area known as the Suruga Seamount, located East of Guam. The Japanese eel has a very specific spawning point, where every member of the species on the planet goes to spawn. Once the eel reaches the ocean, its task is not yet complete.
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