New Zealand Freshwater Fish

DSC_3239 Longfin eel, or 'yellowbelly' (Anguilla dieffenbachii) endemic. Females may live to be 80+ years, growing large and heavy enough to become the 'taniwha' of maori legend. A monster caught in in the Selwyn River in 1903 was short (1.67m), but with a huge girth, and weighed 26 kg. The heaviest longfin eel ever recorded was caught in Queenstown in 1863, it was reputed to weigh 48kg *

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DSC_3239 Longfin eel, or 'yellowbelly' (Anguilla dieffenbachii) endemic. Females may live to be 80+ years, growing large and heavy enough to become the 'taniwha' of maori legend. A monster caught in in the Selwyn River in 1903 was short (1.67m), but with a huge girth, and weighed 26 kg. The heaviest longfin eel ever recorded was caught in Queenstown in 1863, it was reputed to weigh 48kg *

DSC 3239 Longfin long finned eel yellow belly anguilla dieffenbachii tuna taniwha