Also from NS.
They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
The Rev Dodgson said:
Also from NS.They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
Perhaps the open ocean is safer for eggs and hatchlings than near-coast waters, so there was a successful competitive advantage further and further from the coast until eventually they got to the place furthest from a coast.
The Rev Dodgson said:
Also from NS.They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
I don’t know how it evolved. I don’t think anyone does.
Australian eels have a similar life cycle.
https://www.nativefish.asn.au/home/page/Short-Finned-Eel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-finned_eel
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-01-09/eels-australia-most-hardcore-animal/100572614
dv said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
Also from NS.They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
Perhaps the open ocean is safer for eggs and hatchlings than near-coast waters, so there was a successful competitive advantage further and further from the coast until eventually they got to the place furthest from a coast.
Seems a possibility.
I wondered if it might be something to do with continental drift, but perhaps the time-scales are wrong for that.
The Rev Dodgson said:
dv said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
Also from NS.They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
Perhaps the open ocean is safer for eggs and hatchlings than near-coast waters, so there was a successful competitive advantage further and further from the coast until eventually they got to the place furthest from a coast.
Seems a possibility.
I wondered if it might be something to do with continental drift, but perhaps the time-scales are wrong for that.
Yes
float across the Atlantic perhaps?
party_pants said:
float across the Atlantic perhaps?
oops.
Floating across the Pacific to arrive at Europe would indeed have been a remarkable trick.
The Rev Dodgson said:
party_pants said:
float across the Atlantic perhaps?
oops.
Floating across the Pacific to arrive at Europe would indeed have been a remarkable trick.
Might have had to take the scenic route?
roughbarked said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
party_pants said:
float across the Atlantic perhaps?
oops.
Floating across the Pacific to arrive at Europe would indeed have been a remarkable trick.
Might have had to take the scenic route?
i dunno. I din’t think the Panama Canal or Cape Horn are very scenic.
The Rev Dodgson said:
dv said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
Also from NS.They are born in the Sargasso Sea, float across the pacific to Europe and N Africa, pass through several different stages, then at about age 16 they swim back to the Sargasso Sea, where the females produce 1000’s of baby eels, then die. Presumably the males die after fathering 1000’s of baby eels as well.
How did all that evolve?
Perhaps the open ocean is safer for eggs and hatchlings than near-coast waters, so there was a successful competitive advantage further and further from the coast until eventually they got to the place furthest from a coast.
Seems a possibility.
I wondered if it might be something to do with continental drift, but perhaps the time-scales are wrong for that.
A very good possibility as the ancestor of the European and American eels date back to 83 million years when America and Europe were much closer together and the Sargasso Sea was between. The original eels inhabited saltwater but became a mixture of fresh and saltwater nearly 50 million years ago, so migration from the Sargasso Sea to the European and American rivers is a realistic possibility.
Perhaps they went by hovercraft.