Effect of parental origin on early life history traits of European eel

• DOI: 10.1111/rda.13219
• Publication Date: 2018-06-25T12:13:19Z
• Authors: Elisa Benini; Sebastian N. Politis; Johanna S. Kottmann; Ian A. E. Butts; Sune R. Sørensen; Jonna Tomkiewicz
• Keywords: Broodstock; Hatchery; Maternal effect; Selective breeding

Establishment of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) hatchery production will rely on selectively bred individuals that produce progeny with the best traits in successive generations. As such, this study used a quantitative genetic breeding design, between four females and nine males (four wild-caught five cultured), to investigate effect paternal origin (wild-caught vs. cultured) quantify relative importance parental effects, including compatibility, early life history (ELH) performance (i.e. fertilization success, embryonic survival at 32 hr post-fertilization, hatch success larval deformities 2 days post-hatch) eel. Wild-caught had higher (56%) spermatocrit values than cultured (45%), while survival, were not significantly impacted by origin. This demonstrates short-term domestication male eels does negatively affect offspring quality enables consideration broodstock future programmes. Moreover, paternity explained 9.5% variability providing further evidence effects need be taken into assisted reproduction protocols. Furthermore, maternity 54.8% variation for 61.7% 88.1% hatching 62.8% deformities, validating is major factor influencing these "critical" ELH traits. At last, interaction 12.8% 8.3% 4.5% 20.5% deformities. Thus, we conclude eggs one female can develop more successfully when crossed compatible male, highlighting mate choice successful propagation high-quality offspring. Together, knowledge improve performance, leading programmes critically endangered economically important species.