New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)

Scientific name: Anguilla dieffenbachii Gray, 1842

New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)

The New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii) is a freshwater fish of the family Anguillidae. Native range: Southwest Pacific, endemic to New Zealand.

Biology

Commonly found in lakes and rivers. Inhabits stony rivers. Migrates to the sea to breed. Oviparous. Marketed fresh, smoked and frozen; eaten fried and broiled. Reports of reaching up to 2 meters and 50 kilograms are rare and more common historically; in recent times, only a few exceed 120 cm TL.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Anguilla dieffenbachii
Family
Anguillidae (Freshwater eels)
Order
Anguilliformes (Eels and Morays)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
185
Common length
100
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Southwest Pacific: endemic to New Zealand.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Tmax=60; tm=10-48 years based on age-length relationship.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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