Distribution
They are common throughout the lowlands of New Zealand, including both Chatham and Stewart Island/Rakiura, but tend not to ascend as far inland as long-finned eels. In Australia, they are restricted to the area on the seaward side of the Great Dividing Range, from about Mount Gambier in the south-eastern corner of South Australia, through Victoria, Tasmania, the Bass Strait islands and up the eastern seaboard to the Richmond River in northern New South Wales. Unable to scale the Great Divide, and not extending as far west as the outlet of the Murray River, they are excluded from the thousands of miles of waterways that drain inland eastern Australia. A. Australis is the most widely distributed longitudinally of the Anguillid eels where its larvae can be found just south of Fiji to the North-west of Australia in the SEC region (14.5-21°S, 154-179.5°E) (For a comparison with northern hemisphere eels, in particular the European eel, see eel life history.) The larvae drift on the ocean currents and eventually reach coastal waters, where they metamorphose into elvers (tiny, semi-transparent eels). From there, they migrate upstream, traversing numerous obstacles — if necessary, leaving the water and travelling short distances over moist ground. They are well fitted to this task, being able to absorb 50% of the oxygen they need through the skin. Eventually, they take up residence in a lake, swamp, dam or river, typically occupying a home range of about 400 m in length, where they remain until they reach maturity at about 14 years for males and 18 to 24 years for females. They are carnivorous, eating crustaceans, fish, frogs and even small birds.
Read more about this topic: Short-finned Eel
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