In Tauranga Harbour,Lyrodus medilobatuswas found in greatest numbers on test‐blocks placed near the bottom, whileBankia australis, B. neztalia, andNototeredo edaxhad a more uniform vertical distribution. Shipworms occurred in the intertidal zone up to about mean sea level. In Wellington Harbour,B. neztaliawas found in test‐blocks up to mean sea level, but was most abundant in blocks near the bottom. In the Bay of Islands, shipworms settled in the intertidal on test‐blocks as high as 30 cm below mean sea level.B. australiswas the most abundant species in mangrove wood in northern New Zealand, andL. medilobatusoccurred occasionally. No evidence was found for shipworms settling on living mangrove wood, although they frequently tunnelled from dead wood into living wood.