First record of the Australian longfinned eel, Anguilla reinhardtii, in New Zealand

Abstract

Anguilla reinhardtii has been identified by vertebral counts and DNA markers, from a sample of 27 individuals (364-790 mm), within eight consecutive year classes caught by commercial eel fishers in the Waikato River, North Island, New Zealand. There is anecdotal evidence that A. reinhardtii has been present in small numbers in New Zealand for at least 25 years, although its incidence in commercial catches is thought to be increasing. The present known distribution covers approximately 500 km of latitude along the top half of the west coast of the North Island.