Eel-larvæ (Leptocephalus brevirostris) from the Central North Atlantic¹

Abstract

IN a previous article in NATURE (November 10) I have given some information about the expedition executed by the steamer Michael Sars in the North Atlantic, from April to August this year, under the superintendence of Sir John Murray and myself. As would be seen from that article, the expedition crossed the Atlantic twice, first from the Canaries to Newfoundland, and then from Newfoundland to Ireland. During this cruise many hauls were made with pelagic tow-nets and trawls. It is characteristic of the manner of work that many nets and trawls—as many as ten—were towed simultaneously during several hours at each station. The nets and trawls were fixed on the wire as follows: one at the surface, the others at 100, 200, 300, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 metres. The very considerable number of pelagic forms captured is now being examined. The material includes several hundred Leptocephali belonging to many different species. Among these are forty-four larvæ of the common eel (Leptocephalus brevirostris). The localities where these were found are so interesting that a preliminary note may be useful, as suggestive for further investigation.