Fecundity of the tropical catadromous eels Anguilla bicolor bicolor, A. bengalensis bengalensis and A. marmorata

Maturation is one of the most important ontogenetic transitions in an individual’s life. However, the reproductive ecology of the tropical anguillid eel genus Anguilla at the onset of oceanic spawning migration is poorly understood. To understand the reproductive ecology, the fecundity of the tropical eels Anguilla bicolor bicolor, A. bengalensis bengalensis and A. marmorata was examined using advanced migrating silver eels (Stage IV and V). A close linear relationship was found between total length and fecundity in A. bengalensis bengalensis. The fecundities of A. bicolor bicolor (0.55 to 4.96 × 106), A. bengalensis bengalensis (0.33–1.72 × 106) and A. marmorata (0.99 × 106) were within the range of those observed in temperate eels.