Temporal genetic variation in European eel Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1748): A fine scale investigation in the Adour estuary

Abstract

The genetic structure of arrival cohorts of European eels in the continental basin of Adour, France, was analysed. A regular sampling was carried out during three successive seasons of migration to ensure a representative sampling of complete recruitment in the estuary. Genetic variability within this sample was evaluated by analysis of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers. A high level of polymorphism was highlighted but a lack of genetic differentiation was observed between cohorts collected during the three successive seasonal migrations.

Keywords:

• Adour estuary
• Anguilla anguilla
• genetic structure
• microsatellites
• temporal variation

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

We thank P. Prouzet, M.N. de Casamajor and all the personnel at LHA of Ifremer who provided us with the samples. We also thank A.P. Polania Correa and L. Fito-Boncompte for technical assistance. We are grateful to A. Fahey for proofreading the English text and acronyms reviewers for manuscript improvement.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark