Genetic variation in the eel: I. The detection of haemoglobin and esterase polymorphisms

Abstract

Electrophoretic studies on starch gel demonstrated the existence in the European eel of four haemoglobins, not two as believed from agar gel studies. The two minor fractions have been shown to be neither polymers nor methaemoglobin derivatives of the two principal fractions.The esterase zymograms of eel sera exhibit up to eight fractions. The individual differences observed suggest genetic polymorphism and the same applies to the esterase pattern of various tissues.This approach is of value for the collection of phenotypic frequency data with a view to solving the Atlantic eel problem.