ɪɾ ɪz ðə lˈɑːɹdʒɪst fɹˈɛʃwɔːɾɚɹ ˈiːl ɪn nˈuː zˈiːlənd ænd ðɪ ˈoʊnli ɛndˈɛmɪk spˈiːsiːz ðɪ ˈʌðɚɹ ˈiːlz fˈaʊnd ɪn nˈuː zˈiːlənd ɑːɹ ðə nˈeɪɾɪv ʃˈɔːɹtfɪn ˈiːl ˈæŋɡɪlə ɔːstɹˈɑːliz, ˈɔːlsoʊ fˈaʊnd ɪn ɔːstɹˈeɪliə, ænd ðə nˈætʃɚɹəli ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ɔːstɹˈeɪliən lˈɔŋfɪn ˈiːl ˈæŋɡɪlɚ ɹˈaɪnhɑːɹdtˌɪaɪ.
It is the largest freshwater eel in New Zealand and the only endemic species – the other eels found in New Zealand are the native shortfin eel (Anguilla australis), also found in Australia, and the naturally introduced Australian longfin eel (Anguilla reinhardtii).