| Speckled longfin eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Anguillidae |
| Genus: | Anguilla |
| Species: | A. reinhardtii |
| Binomial name | |
| Anguilla reinhardtii Steindachner, 1867 |
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The speckled longfin eel, Australian long-finned eel or marbled eel, Anguilla reinhardtii, is one of 15 species of eel in the family Anguillidae. It has a long snake-like cylindrical body with its dorsal, tail and anal fins joined to form one long fin. It usually has a brownish green or olive green back and sides with small darker spots or blotches all over its body. Its underside is paler.[1] It has a small gill opening on each side of its wide head, with thick lips.[1] It is Australia's largest freshwater eel, and the female usually grows much larger than the male.[1][2] It is also known as the spotted eel.
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The long-finned eel is a native of New Guinea, eastern Australia (including Tasmania), Lord Howe Island, and New Caledonia[1]. It can be found in many freshwater areas, including creeks, streams, rivers, swamps, dams, lagoons, and lakes although generally more often in rivers than lakes.[2]
Long-finned eels can grow to 1.6 metres and 22 kg (although generally to 1 metre) for females while males are much smaller at 650 mm and 600 g[3]. , Landlocked eels have been reported to grow to 3 metres (10 feet).[3]