Southern Shortfin Eel, Anguilla australis Richardson, 1841
Australian Shortfinned Eel, Freshwater Eel, River Eel, Silver Eel, Yellow Eel
Click to enlarge image
© Michael Miller
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Anguilla
- Species
- australis
- Family
- Anguillidae
- Order
- Anguilliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- It grows to about 90 cm in length.
Identification
The Southern Shortfin Eel is the only freshwater eel in southern Australian waters with a uniform body colouration.
A rare xanthic (an unusual colour variety in which the normal colouration of a fish is largely replaced by yellow pigments.) Southern Shortfin Eel, Anguilla australis, caught by Lawrie McEnally in Christmas creek, Frederickton, near Kempsey, New South Wales, 28 July 2013.
The fish was exported to China where it currently lives as a showpiece in a Shanghai restaurant aquarium. Thank you to Ken Shingleton for initially sending the image to the Australian Museum for identification.
Image: Lawrie McEnally© Lawrie McEnally
Habitat
It lives in still, often turbid, freshwaters. Mature eels migrate to sea to spawn and young eels return to freshwater habitats.
Distribution
The species occurs widely throughout the Western Pacific region.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & M. Allen. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 394.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
