The new zealand longfin eel anguilla dieffenbachii is new zealands only endemic freshwater eel. The easiest way to identify the longfin eel is by the length of its fins. In the shortfin species the dorsal and anal fins are of a similar length.
longfin eel drawing
The longfin eel that don jellyman is holding was m long and weighed 14 kg.
Longfin eel drawing. There are two main types of eel the shortfin and the longfin. Some jars hold only one specimen whereas others like this jar full of longfin dace agosia chrysogaster hold dozenswith fish and other specimens that must be preserved in alcohol it can be more effective to store many specimens in the same jar. Declan tully and ben ederveen examine some of the threats to the survival of the longfin eel and see what measures are been taken to ensure its future. Longfin eels can be identified because the dorsal top fin is longer and extends further forward than the anal bottom fin.
We also have a recently introduced longfin eel from australia anguilla reinhardtii. They may grow up to 175 metres and the biggest caught and measured so far weighed 24 kilograms. They are probably the worlds biggest eels. There are fewer eels today because of the loss of wetlands and historical commercial fishing practice.
At the end of their lives some time between 30 and 100 years old they head out to sea spawn in the ocean near tonga and die. In the shortfin eel the fins are of similar length. Travelling far inland it may be the countrys most widely distributed freshwater fish. Our native longfin species has been an important food resource for maori for hundreds of years.
The tiny fry make their way back to nz and work their way up rivers as elvers where they settle down and slowly grow bigger. It was caught from a tributary of lake ellesmere te waihora in march and was returned unharmed back to the river. So every eel we catch is one that has yet to breed. Our shortfin eel anguilla australis is also found in australia and some pacific islands.
The dorsal top fin is about two thirds the length of the body and starts significantly further towards the head than the anal bottom fin. The number of eggs in metamorphosed eels is calculated using the equation. Currently the commercial eel fishery is managed by the ministry for primary industries under the quota management system. Every longfin eel in nz is a virgin.
The longfin eel is found only in new zealand. Here we take a slight departure from dead birds because this wall of dead fish is incredible. Great walls of fish batman.
