Pacific shortfinned eel
| Pacific shortfinned eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Anguilla
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| Species: | A. obscura
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| Binomial name | |
| Anguilla obscura Günther, 1872
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The Pacific shortfinned eel (Anguilla obscura), also known as the Pacific shortfinned freshwater eel, the short-finned eel, and the South Pacific eel,[2] is an eel in the family Anguillidae.[3] It was described by Albert Günther in 1872.[4] It is a tropical, freshwater eel which is known from western New Guinea, Queensland, Australia, the Society Islands, and possibly South Africa.[3] The eels spend most of their lives in freshwater, but migrate to the Pacific Ocean to breed. Males can reach a maximum total length of 110 centimetres, but more commonly reach a TL of around 60 cm. The Pacific shortfinned eel is most similar to Anguilla australis (more commonly known as the Short-finned eel), and Anguilla bicolor (the Indonesian shortfin eel), but can be distinguished by the number of vertebrae.[3]
The Pacific shortfinned eel feeds primarily off of bony fish (including the genus Oreochromis),[5] crustaceans and mollusks. It is a commercial eel in subsistence fisheries.[3]
References
- ^ Template:IUCN2014.1
- ^ Common names for Anguilla obscura at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c d Anguilla obscura at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Günther, A., 1872 (Apr.) [ref. 1997] Report on several collections of fishes recently obtained for the British Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1871 (pt 3): 652-675, Pls. 53-70.
- ^ Food items reported for Anguilla obscura at www.fishbase.org.
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