The relationship between the moon cycle and the orientation of glass eels ( Anguilla anguilla ) at sea
Open accessAbstract
Links between the lunar cycle and the life cycle (migration patterns, locomotor activity, pulses in recruitment) of the European eel ( Anguilla anguilla ) are well documented. In this study, we hypothesized that the orientation of glass eels at sea is related to the lunar cycle. The European eel hatches in the Sargasso Sea and migrates across the Atlantic Ocean towards Europe. Upon reaching the continental shelf, the larvae metamorphose into glass eels and migrate up the estuaries, where some individuals colonize freshwater habitats. How glass eels navigate pelagic waters is still an open question. We tested the orientation of 203 glass eels in a transparent circular arena that was drifting in situ during the daytime, in the coastal Norwegian North Sea, during different lunar phases. The glass eels swimming at sea oriented towards the azimuth of the moon at new moon, when the moon rose above the horizon and was invisible but not during the other moon phases. These results suggest that glass eels could use the moon position for orientation at sea and that the detection mechanism involved is not visual. We hypothesize a possible detection mechanism based on global-scale lunar disturbances in electrical fields and discuss the implications of lunar-related orientation for the recruitment of glass eels to estuaries. This behaviour could help glass eels to reach the European coasts during their marine migration.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The Moon affects Earth's magnetotail, thereby creating oscillating electromagnetic fields on Earth's surface that can be sensed by animals.
“In addition, the Moon affects Earth’s magnetotail, thereby creating oscillating electromagnetic fields on Earth’s surface that can be sensed by animals (35, 36).”
From Women temporarily synchronize their menstrual cycles with the luminance and gravimetric cycles of the Moon (2021) · cites this paper as [36]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Mass spawning in tropical reef corals
Harrison, P. L., Babcock, R. C., Bull, G. D., Oliver, J. K., Wallace, C. C., & Willis, B. L. (1984) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.223.4641.1186 · Cited by 763 · see citing works
(1976) · Cited by 703 · see citing works
The Analysis of Two-Dimensional Orientation Data
Curray, J. R. (1956) · The Journal of Geology · doi:10.1086/626329 · Cited by 538 · see citing works
IV.—The breeding places of the eel
Schmidt, J. (1923) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B Containing Papers of a Biological Character · doi:10.1098/rstb.1923.0004 · Cited by 411 · see citing works
SELECTIVE TIDAL-STREAM TRANSPORT OF MARINE ANIMALS
A.Tankersley, R. B. F. J. R. (2001) · doi:10.1201/b12588-4 · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Major pathways of Atlantic water in the northern North Atlantic and Nordic Seas toward Arctic
Orvik, K. A., & Niiler, P. (2002) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2002gl015002 · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Tesch, F.-W. (1977) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-009-5761-9 · Cited by 262 · see citing works
Colin, P. L. (1992) · Environmental Biology of Fishes · doi:10.1007/bf00004740 · Cited by 225 · see citing works
All roads lead to home: panmixia of European eel in the Sargasso Sea
Als, T. D., Hansen, M. M., Maes, G. E., Castonguay, M., Riemann, L., Aarestrup, K., Munk, P., Sparholt, H., Hanel, R., & Bernatchez, L. (2011) · Molecular Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05011.x · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Righton, D. A., Westerberg, H., Feunteun, É., Økland, F., Gargan, P., Amilhat, E., Metcalfe, J. D., Lobón‐Cerviá, J., Sjöberg, N. B., Simon, J., et al. (2016) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501694 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
Moonlight drives ocean-scale mass vertical migration of zooplankton during the arctic winter
Last, K. S., Hobbs, L., Berge, J., Brierley, A. S., & Cottier, F. (2016) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.038 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
On the orientation of migrating elvers (Anguilla vulgaris turt.) in a tidal area
Creutzberg, F. (1961) · Netherlands Journal of Sea Research · doi:10.1016/0077-7579(61)90007-2 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
McCleave, J. D., & Kleckner, R. C. (1982) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/40.3.262 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
Lunar Spawning Cycle in the Mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae)
Taylor, M. H., Leach, G. J., DiMichele, L., Levitan, W. M., & Jacob, W. F. (1979) · Copeia · doi:10.2307/1443417 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
A century of research on the larval distributions of the Atlantic eels: a re‐examination of the data
Miller, M. J., Bonhommeau, S., Munk, P., Castonguay, M., Hanel, R., & McCleave, J. D. (2014) · Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society · doi:10.1111/brv.12144 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Reef Odor: A Wake Up Call for Navigation in Reef Fish Larvae
Paris, C. B., Atema, J., Irisson, J., Kingsford, M. J., Gerlach, G., & Guigand, C. M. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0072808 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Self-citationElectric Fields Elicit Ballooning in Spiders
Morley, E. L., & Robert, D. (2018) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.057 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Édeline, É., Dufour, S., & Élie, P. (2005) · Marine Ecology Progress Series · doi:10.3354/meps304191 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
Seamounts, New Moon and eel Spawning: The Search for the Spawning Site of the Japanese eel
Tsukamoto, K., Otake, T., Mochioka, N., Lee, T.-W., Fricke, H., Inagaki, T., Aoyama, J., Ishikawa, S., Kimura, S., Miller, M. J., et al. (2003) · Environmental Biology of Fishes · doi:10.1023/a:1023926705906 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Silver Eel Migration and Behaviour
Bruijs, M. C. M., & Durif, C. M. F. (2008) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-9095-0_4 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Self-citationSurface circulation in the eastern North Atlantic, from drifters and altimetry
Martins, C. S., Hamann, M., & Fiúza, A. F. G. (2002) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2000jc000345 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Palm, S., Dannewitz, J., Prestegaard, T., & Wickström, H. (2009) · Heredity · doi:10.1038/hdy.2009.51 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Gascuel, D. (1986) · Helgoland Marine Research · doi:10.1007/bf01983739 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Upstream migration of glass‐eels (Anguilla spp.) in the Waikato River
Jellyman, D. J. (1979) · New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research · doi:10.1080/00288330.1979.9515776 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
The duration of migration of Atlantic Anguilla larvae
Bonhommeau, S., Castonguay, M., Rivot, É., Sabatié, R., & Pape, O. L. (2010) · Fish and Fisheries · doi:10.1111/j.1467-2979.2010.00362.x · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Seasonal Evolution and Individual Differences in Silvering Eels from Different Locations
Durif, C. M. F., van Ginneken, V., Dufour, S., Müller, T., & Élie, P. (2008) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-9095-0_2 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Self-citationGlass eels ( Anguilla anguilla ) have a magnetic compass linked to the tidal cycle
Cresci, A., Paris, C. B., Durif, C. M. F., Shema, S. D., Bjelland, R. M., Skiftesvik, A. B., & Browman, H. I. (2017) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.1602007 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Self-citationTosi, L., Spampanato, A., Solá, C., & Tongiorgi, P. (1990) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb05613.x · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Role of Geosmin, a Typical Inland Water Odour, in Guiding Glass Eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) Migration
Tosi, L., & Sola, C. (1993) · Ethology · doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1993.tb00468.x · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Tesch, F.-W. (1989) · Aquatic Living Resources · doi:10.1051/alr:1989002 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Occurrence of eelAnguilla anguilla larvae west of the European continental shelf, 1971?1977
Tesch, F.-W. (1980) · Environmental Biology of Fishes · doi:10.1007/bf00005354 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Wuenschel, M. J., & Able, K. W. (2008) · Marine Biology · doi:10.1007/s00227-008-0970-7 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Enlightening the ocean’s twilight zone
Kaartvedt, S., Langbehn, T. J., & Aksnes, D. L. (2019) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsz010 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Mercier, A., Sun, Z., Baillon, S., & Hamel, J. (2011) · Journal of Biological Rhythms · doi:10.1177/0748730410391948 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Atta, K. I. (2013) · The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology · doi:10.1016/j.jobaz.2013.10.002 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Lunar biological effects and the magnetosphere
Bevington, M. (2015) · Pathophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2015.08.005 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
On the Migration of the Elver (Anguilla vulgaris Turt.) at Sea
Deelder, C. L. (1952) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/18.2.187 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
THE EFFICIENCY OF SELECTIVE TIDAL STREAM TRANSPORT IN GLASS EEL ENTERING THE GIRONDE (FRANCE)
Beaulaton, L., & Castelnaud, G. (2005) · Bulletin Français de la Pêche et de la Pisciculture · doi:10.1051/kmae:2005001 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Do animals bite more during a full moon? Retrospective observational analysis
Bhattacharjee, C., Bradley, P. J., Smith, M., Scally, A., & Wilson, B. J. (2000) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7276.1559 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Location Isn’t Everything: Timing of Spawning Aggregations Optimizes Larval Replenishment
Donahue, M. J., Karnauskas, M., Toews, C., & Paris, C. B. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130694 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationFactors affecting recruitment of glass eels into the Grey River, New Zealand
Jellyman, D. J., & Lambert, P. (2003) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1046/j.1095-8649.2003.00220.x · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Earthward electric field in the magnetotail: Cluster observations and theoretical estimates
Зеленый, Л. М., Artemyev, A. V., & Petrukovich, A. A. (2010) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2009gl042099 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Kimura, S., & Nakagawa, T. (2008) · Earth Planets and Space · doi:10.1186/bf03353122 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
A modeling study of the coastal eastern boundary current system off Iberia and Morocco
Batteen, M. L., Martinez, J. R., Bryan, D. W., & Buch, E. J. (2000) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2000jc900026 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Verhelst, P., Bruneel, S. P., Reubens, J., Coeck, J., Goethals, P. L. M., Oldoni, D., Moens, T., & Mouton, A. (2018) · Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science · doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2018.08.025 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
With a Little Help from My Friends: Group Orientation by Larvae of a Coral Reef Fish
Irisson, J., Paris, C. B., Leis, J. M., & Yerman, M. N. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144060 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Self-citationDetection and quantification of marine larvae orientation in the pelagic environment
Irisson, J., Guigand, C. M., & Paris, C. B. (2009) · Limnology and Oceanography Methods · doi:10.4319/lom.2009.7.664 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Self-citationSun-Compass Orientation in Mediterranean Fish Larvae
Faillettaz, R., Blandin, A., Paris, C. B., Koubbi, P., & Irisson, J. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135213 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Self-citationSola, C., & Tongiorgi, P. (1996) · Environmental Biology of Fishes · doi:10.1007/bf00005045 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Eels and Conger Eels of the North Atlantic
Schmidt, J. (1931) · Nature · doi:10.1038/128602a0 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Gould, J. L. (2010) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.03.045 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Seasonal occurrence of anguillid glass eels at Yakushima Island, Japan
Yamamoto, T., Mochioka, N., & Nakazono, A. (2001) · Fisheries Science · doi:10.1046/j.1444-2906.2001.00285.x · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Kracht, R. (1982) · Helgoland Marine Research · doi:10.1007/bf02006140 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Growth rhythms in the shrimp Penaeus vannamei and P. schmitti
Griffith, D. R. W., & Wigglesworth, J. M. (1993) · Marine Biology · doi:10.1007/bf00346347 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
The perception of weak electric D.C. currents by the European Eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Enger, P. S., Kristensen, L., & Sand, O. (1976) · Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Physiology · doi:10.1016/s0300-9629(76)80077-1 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Effect of management measures on glass eel escapement
Beaulaton, L., & Briand, C. (2007) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsm071 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Behavioural responses of glass eels of Anguilla anguilla to non‐protein amino acids
Solá, C., & Tongiorgi, P. (1998) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1998.tb00246.x · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Orientation of elvers of American eels(Anguilla rostrata) in weak magnetic and electric fields
Zimmerman, M. A., & McCleave, J. D. (1975) · Helgoland Marine Research · doi:10.1007/bf01611805 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
de Casamajor, M. N., Bru, N., & Prouzet, P. (2001) · Bulletin Français de la Pêche et de la Pisciculture · doi:10.1051/kmae/2001057 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Schmidt, J. (1923) · Nature · doi:10.1038/112205b0 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Behavioural responses of glass eels ofAnguilla anguillato non-protein amino acids
Sola, C. (1998) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1006/jfbi.1998.0790
Taylor (1984) · doi:10.1577/1548-8659(1984)113
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- [3]Tesch FW 1977 The eel, 5th edn Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.
- [61]Paris CB, Guigand CM, Irisson J, Fisher R 2008 Orientation with No Frame of Reference (OWNFOR): a novel system to observe and quantify orientation in reef fish larvae. In Carribbean Connect. Implic. Mar. Prot. area Manag. NOAA Natl. Mar. Sanctuary Progr., pp. 52– 62.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
A comprehensive hypothesis on the migration of European glass eels (Anguilla anguilla)
Cresci, A. (2020) · Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society · doi:10.1111/brv.12609 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Self-citationHelfrich-Förster, C., Monecke, S., Spiousas, I., Hovestadt, T., Mitesser, O., & Wehr, T. A. (2021) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.abe1358 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
“In addition, the Moon affects Earth’s magnetotail, thereby creating oscillating electromagnetic fields on Earth’s surface that can be sensed by animals (35, 36).”
BackgroundNyqvist, D., Durif, C. M. F., Johnsen, M. G., de Jong, K., Forland, T. N., & Sivle, L. D. (2020) · Marine Environmental Research · doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104888 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationThe epigenetics of animal personality
van Oers, K., van den Heuvel, K., & Sepers, B. (2023) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105194 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Wehr, T. A., & Helfrich‐Förster, C. (2021) · BioEssays · doi:10.1002/bies.202100054 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Cresci, A., Allan, B. J. M., Shema, S. D., Skiftesvik, A. B., & Browman, H. I. (2020) · Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology · doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151358 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationCresci, A., Paris, C. B., Browman, H. I., Skiftesvik, A. B., Shema, S. D., Bjelland, R. M., Durif, C. M. F., Foretich, M. A., Persia, C. D., Lucchese, V., et al. (2020) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c04889 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationCresci, A., Sandvik, A. D., Sævik, P. N., Ådlandsvik, B., Olascoaga, M. J., Miron, P., Durif, C. M. F., Skiftesvik, A. B., Browman, H. I., & Vikebø, F. B. (2020) · Fisheries Oceanography · doi:10.1111/fog.12521 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationChaput, R., Sochala, P., Miron, P., Kourafalou, V. H., & Iskandarani, M. (2022) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsac021 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Shaw, S. L., Renik, K. M., & Sass, G. G. (2021) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257882 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Are cyclic plant and animal behaviours driven by gravimetric mechanical forces?
Gallep, C. M., & Robert, D. (2021) · Journal of Experimental Botany · doi:10.1093/jxb/erab462 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Helfrich‐Förster, C., Domenie, E. D., Mitesser, O., Hovestadt, T., Ferlin, A., Wehr, T. A., Costa, R., & Montagnese, S. (2025) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.adw4096 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Lanzoni, M., Gavioli, A., Castaldelli, G., Aschonitis, V. G., & Milardi, M. (2021) · Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science · doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107668 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Annida, S. B., Zulkarnain, Z., Wahju, R. I., Simanjuntak, C. P. H., Baihaqi, F., Prabowo, T., & Budiman, M. S. (2021) · E3S Web of Conferences · doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202132203007 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
An Anguillid lens: how Eels reconnect people and waterways
Gansworth, K. L., & Bowser, C. H. (2024) · Frontiers in Human Dynamics · doi:10.3389/fhumd.2023.1270644 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
MIGRATION WAWES AND STAGE OF PIGMENTATION OF GLASS EELS FROM RIVER BOJANA (MONTENEGRO)
MILOSEVIC, D., Mrdak, D., Pešić, A., Ikica, Z., & KOVACEVIC, A. (2022) · The Journal Agriculture and Forestry · doi:10.17707/agricultforest.68.3.08 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Migratory life cycle of Anguilla anguilla: a mirror symmetry with A. japonica
Hsu, H., Hsiung, K., & Han, Y. (2024) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1111/jfb.15966 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
McNeill, R., Burnett, M. J., Hanzen, C., & Downs, C. T. (2025) · Journal of Fish Biology · doi:10.1111/jfb.70239 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Watersheds Speak: The Voice of Ecosystems in Northern New York's Environmental Movements☆
Lavia, B., Aguilar‐Izzo, T., & Avery, L. M. (2024) · Rural Sociology · doi:10.1111/ruso.12560
- Authors
- Cresci, A., Durif, C. M., Paris, C. B., Thompson, C. R. S., Shema, S., Skiftesvik, A. B., & Browman, H. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (NO)
- Grótti ehf., Grundarstíg 4, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Corresponding author
- Cresci, Alessandro
- ORCID
- Venue
- Royal Society Open Science
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Published
- 2019-10
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 190812
- ISSN
- 2054-5703 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6837198
- OpenAlex
- W2982419243
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5
- FWCI
- 2.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Royal Society Open Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Norges Forskningsråd (234338)
- Norwegian Institute of Marine Research project “Fine-scale interactions in the plankton” (81529)
- NSF-OCE (1459156)
- Paris Lab at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
- Keywords
- Anguilla anguilla, glass eels, lunar cycle, lunar phases, lunar navigation, marine migration, estuarine recruitment, electric field, non-visual navigation, North Sea
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
