African longfin eel

The African longfin eel[3] (Anguilla mossambica), also known simply as the longfin eel, is an eel in the family Anguillidae.[4] It was described by Wilhelm Peters in 1852, originally under the genus Muraena.[5] It is a tropical eel known from freshwaters in southern Kenya, Cape Agulhas, Madagascar, and New Caledonia. The eels spend most of their lives in freshwaters far inland, but migrate to the Western Indian Ocean to breed. Males can reach a maximum total length of 150 centimetres; females can reach a maximum standard length of 120 centimetres and a maximum weight of 5,000 grams. The eels can live for about 20 years.[4] Juveniles and adults are known to feed off of carcasses, crabs, and bony fish.[6]

African longfin eel
Near Cape Town, South Africa

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Genus: Anguilla
Species:
A. mossambica
Binomial name
Anguilla mossambica
(Peters, 1852)
Synonyms[2]
  • Anguilla capensis Castelnau, 1861
  • Anguilla capensis Kaup, 1860
  • Anguilla delalandi Kaup, 1856
  • Anguilla delalandii Kaup, 1856
  • Muraena mossambica Peters, 1852
  • Tribranchus anguillaris Peters, 1846

As food

The African longfin eel is raised in commercial fisheries as well as aquafarms, and is also considered a game fish. It has fatty flesh which is prized in a smoked or jellied dish.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Pike, C., Crook, V., Gollock, M. & Jacoby, D. 2019. (2019). "Anguilla mossambica". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2019: e.T183155A96229580.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Synonyms of Anguilla mossambica at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Common names for Anguilla mossambica Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine at www.fishbase.org.
  4. Anguilla mossambica at www.fishbase.org.
  5. Peters, W. (C. H.), 1852 [ref. 18539] Diagnosen von neuen Flussfischen aus Mossambique. Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preuss[ischen] Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1852: 275-276, 681-685.
  6. Food items reported for Anguilla mossambica Archived 2013-04-12 at Archive.today at www.fishbase.org.


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