''Galaxias aequipinnis'', the East Gippsland galaxias, is a

galaxiid The Galaxiidae are a family of mostly small freshwater fish in the Southern Hemisphere. The majority live in Southern Australia or New Zealand, but some are found in South Africa, southern South America, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, and the ...

of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

Galaxias ''Galaxias'' is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Galaxiidae, and are frequently referred to as the galaxiids. These highly adaptable fish are typically found at temperate latitudes across the Southern Hemisphere. Galaxiids are ...

'', a member of the

Mountain Galaxias ''Galaxias olidus'', the mountain galaxias, is a species of freshwater galaxiid fish widely found in southeastern Australia. Description As for other members of the species complex, although ''Galaxias olidus'' exhibits a greater range of charac ...

species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

group of freshwater fish, found in Australia.

Description

A long tubular fish to in length, commonly . Compared to other members of the ''G.olidus'' species complex ''G.aequipinnis'' is somewhat stout with a long head and snout. The lower jaw is shorter than the upper. Colour is brown on the sides of the head and snout extending to the upper surfaces and on the sides above the lateral line becoming lighter to cream on the lower sides and silvery white on the belly. Sides overlain with dark irregular marks, with some more or less joining together to form uneven vertical bands.

Distribution

With a very restricted range, ''G.aequipinnis'' has been found at elevations of AMSL in the Arte River and Little Arte River which are tributaries of the Goolengook River within the Bemm River catchment in

East Gippsland East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres (14%) of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114. Australian Bureau of Statistics2006 Census Community Profile Series: East Gippsland (St ...

Habitat

Small to moderate freshwater streams, width and in depth, within heavily vegetated catchments, consisting of cool and clear to slightly tannin-stained water. Substrate is mostly bedrock with boulder and smaller rounded rocks as well as small amounts of gravel and coarse sand and larger areas of silt. Instream cover is mostly rock, overhanging vegetation and woody debris, with only smaller areas of

macrophytes Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments ( saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...

Lifecycle/Reproduction

A purely freshwater fish and unlike some members of the Galaxias family is not believed to undertake downstream migration to the sea as part of its lifecycle. Running ripe male and females with ovaries at an advanced stage of development have been collected in late May. However, to confuse the issue, some immature fish have also been collected in May indicating a possible late spawning with a hatching around the previous November or December.

Utility to humans

This species is totally protected and is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, it is not an angling target

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q85762517 Galaxias Fish described in 2014 Freshwater fish of Australia