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Feeding and movement of Anguilla australis and A. reinhardtii in Macleods Morass, Victoria, Australia
Author(s) -
Beumer J. P.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1979.tb03557.x
Subject(s) - biology , intraspecific competition , interspecific competition , fishery , range (aeronautics) , zoology , pelagic zone , ecology , materials science , composite material
Feeding and movement of Anguitta australis Richardson, and A. reinhardtii Steindachner, were studied in Macleods Morass, Gippsland, Victoria from July 1975 to March 1977. Stomach fullness varied seasonally. Both species ingested a wide range of items with teleosts and insects forming the major group for A. australis and teleosts the major group for A. reinhardtii , which fed on a narrower range of items. No relationship between size of items ingested and size of eel was evident. Kendall rank correlation coefficients indicate that both intraspecific and interspecific differences in diets due to seasonal and size variations were usually insignificant. Tagged eels were recaptured at the overall rate of 18·5 %; of 1051 eels released, a total of 194 eels was recaptured. Maximum linear distance travelled by two eels was 3715 m while maximum days at liberty was 643 days. Home range was in the order of 400m. No relationship between length of a tagged individual and days liberty or with distance moved was evident. Movement was closely related to fluctuations of water temperature with peaks being associated with feeding in the littoral zone of the Morass.