STOKELL'S SMELT

(Redirected from Stokellia)

'Stokell's smelt', ''Stokellia anisodon'', is a smelt, the only member of the genus ''Stokellia'', found only in rivers between the Waiau and Waitaki Rivers on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Their length is between 7 and 9 cm.
Stokell's smelt is the second of the two smelt species found in New Zealand, the other being the common smelt which it superficially resembles. Stokell's smelt has smaller and more scales than the common smelt. It has a small, fleshy, adipose fin which can be used to distinguish smelt from the galaxiids, and smelt can be distinguished from the salmonids because they do not have a lateral line.
Stokell's smelt is a strictly coastal species and is never found very far inland, probably spending most of its life in the marine environment. They enter fresh water to spawn in late spring and summer, and can be extremely abundant at times.
Its name honours Gerald Stokell, one of New Zealand's best known ichthyologists.

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★ NIWA June 2006
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