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Effects of water temperature on the swimming and climbing behaviour of glass eels, Anguilla spp.

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We used controlled laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that glass eels, Anguilla spp., display distinct locomotion behaviour patterns at different water temperatures. The threshold and peak temperatures for active swimming were lower than those for vertical climbing. These differences in threshold and peak temperatures for swimming and climbing behaviour correspond to field observations on these eels entering freshwater rivers in Iceland. The differences in threshold and peak temperatures account for the observations that glass eels first swim into freshwater and then later begin upstream movement over waterfalls or other barriers.

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Correspondence to Bjarni Jónsson.

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Linton, E.D., Jónsson, B. & Noakes, D.L.G. Effects of water temperature on the swimming and climbing behaviour of glass eels, Anguilla spp. . Environ Biol Fish 78, 189–192 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-005-1367-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-005-1367-9

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