Growth of American and European eel leptocephali as revealed by otolith microstructure

Results of a microstructural study of sagittae of 21 Anguilla spp. leptocephali using a scanning electron microscope are presented. Assuming that one growth increment was formed every day, a growth rate of 0.38 mm total length/day was calculated. Hatching dates of a subsample of larvae were between 4 May and 26 June. These late dates may account for the small size of the larvae and their atypical geographic location. This sample of larvae apparently grew faster than those in previous studies, for which rates were based on regressions of length on date of capture.