''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

scale Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number ...

less and somewhat tubular in body form, ranging from very slender to quite bulky. They are somewhat torpedo-shaped, with the dorsal and

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

s positioned close to the tail. They are generally small, with typical adults ranging between in total length, with some stocky species attaining around . The largest, ''Galaxias argenteus'', has been recorded at , although is a more typical adult length.

Species

The 46 recognized species in this genus are: * '' Galaxias aequipinnis'' Raadik, 2014 (East Gippsland Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias anomalus The Central Otago roundhead galaxias (''Galaxias anomalus'') is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found only in the Taieri and Clutha catchments in Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the souther ...

'' Stokell, 1959 (Roundhead Galaxias) * '' Galaxias arcanus'' Raadik, 2014 (Riffle Galaxias) * '' Galaxias argenteus'' Gmelin, 1789 (Giant Kōkopu) * '' Galaxias auratus'' Johnston, 1883 (Golden Galaxias) * '' Galaxias brevipinnis'' Günther, 1866 (Climbing Galaxias) * '' Galaxias brevissimus'' Raadik, 2014 (Short-tail Galaxias) * '' Galaxias cobitinis'' McDowall & Waters, 2002 (Lowland Long-jawed Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias depressiceps The flathead galaxias (''Galaxias depressiceps'') is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found primarily in the Taieri River catchment in Otago, New Zealand. This species should not be confused with the Australian fish with the same common ...

'' McDowall & Wallis, 1996 (Flathead Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias divergens ''Galaxias divergens'', common name dwarf galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found only in the lower North Island and upper South Island of New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 9 cm. The single dorsal and anal fins ...

'' Stokell, 1959 (Dwarf Galaxias) * '' Galaxias eldoni'' McDowall, 1997 (Eldon's Galaxias) * '' Galaxias fasciatus'' Gray, 1842 (Banded Kōkopu) * '' Galaxias fontanus'' Fulton, 1978 (Swan Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias fuscus ''Galaxias fuscus'', the barred galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description ''Galaxias fuscus'' is a freshwater fish with the ...

'' Mack, 1936 (Barred Galaxias) * '' Galaxias globiceps'' Eigenmann, 1928 * '' Galaxias gollumoides'' McDowall & Chadderton, 1999 (Gollum Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias gracilis The dwarf inanga (''Galaxias gracilis'') is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found in the North Island of New Zealand. It is a landlocked galaxiid present in only eleven lakes on the west coast of the North Island within 50 km of Da ...

'' McDowall, 1967 (Dwarf Inanga) * ''

Galaxias gunaikurnai ''Galaxias gunaikurnai'', the Shaw galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus ''Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description Generally similar to other ''Galaxias'' of the ''ol ...

'' Raadik, 2014 (Shaw Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias johnstoni The Clarence galaxias (''Galaxias johnstoni'') is a species of fish in the family Galaxiidae endemic to Tasmania. Description The Clarence galaxias is scaleless and has a dark brown back with brown bars and bands extending down its sides, while ...

Scott Scott may refer to: Places Canada * Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec * Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380 * Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Saska ...

, 1936 (Clarence Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias lanceolatus ''Galaxias lanceolatus'', the tapered galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description Length commonly maximum recorded . Body ge ...

'' Raadik, 2014 (Tapered Galaxias) * '' Galaxias longifundus'' Raadik, 2014 (West Gippsland Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias macronasus ''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 a ...

'' McDowall & Waters, 2003 * '' Galaxias maculatus'' Jenyns, 1842 (Common Galaxias) * '' Galaxias mcdowalli'' Raadik, 2014 (McDowall's Galaxias) * '' Galaxias mungadhan'' Raadik, 2014 (Dargo Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias neocaledonicus ''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 s ...

Weber Weber (, or ; German: ) is a surname of German origin, derived from the noun meaning " weaver". In some cases, following migration to English-speaking countries, it has been anglicised to the English surname 'Webber' or even 'Weaver'. Notable pe ...

& de Beaufort, 1913 * ''

Galaxias niger ''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 a ...

Andrews Andrews may refer to: Places Australia *Andrews, Queensland *Andrews, South Australia United States *Andrews, Florida (disambiguation), various places *Andrews, Indiana * Andrews, Nebraska *Andrews, North Carolina * Andrews, Oregon * Andrews, Sou ...

, 1985 (Black Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias occidentalis The western galaxias (''Galaxias occidentalis''), also called the western minnow, is a species of fish in the genus Galaxias of small, Southern Hemisphere freshwater fish of the family '' Galaxiidae''. It is endemic to southwestern Australia ...

'' Ogilby, 1899 (Western Galaxias) * '' Galaxias olidus'' Günther, 1866 (Mountain Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias oliros ''Galaxias oliros'', the obscure galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description Similar to other members of the species complex w ...

'' Raadik, 2014 (Obscure Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias ornatus ''Galaxias ornatus'', the ornate galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description Generally as for other members of the genus, body ...

'' Castelnau, 1873 (Ornate Galaxias) * '' Galaxias parvus'' Frankenberg, 1968 (Small Pedder Galaxias) * '' Galaxias paucispondylus'' Stokell, 1938 (Alpine Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias pedderensis The Pedder galaxias (''Galaxias pedderensis'') is an Australian freshwater fish. It is considered to be extinct in the wild since 2005 by the EPBC Act, and was originally found only in Lake Pedder in Tasmania. Range Originally recorded only i ...

'' Frankenberg, 1968 (Pedder Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias platei ''Galaxias platei'' is a galaxiid fish of the genus '' Galaxias''. It is commonly known as tollo, puye, puyen, or puyen grande.Steindachner Franz Steindachner (11 November 1834 in Vienna – 10 December 1919 in Vienna) was an Austrian zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He published over 200 papers on fishes and over 50 papers on reptiles and amphibians. Steindachner describ ...

, 1898 * ''

Galaxias postvectis ''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 s ...

'' F. E. Clarke, 1899 (Short-jaw Kōkopu) * ''

Galaxias prognathus The longjawed galaxias (''Galaxias prognathus'') is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found only in rivers and streams at mid to high altitudes on the eastern side of the Southern Alps in the South Island of New Zealand. It grows to a leng ...

'' Stokell, 1940 (Long-jaw Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias pullus The dusky galaxias (''Galaxias pullus'') is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', found only in the Taieri and Clutha catchments in Otago, New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Oce ...

'' McDowall, 1997 (Dusky Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias rostratus The flathead galaxias (''Galaxias rostratus'') is a freshwater fish found in lowland rivers, streams and associated billabongs, backwaters, and wetlands of the southern Murray-Darling river system in southeastern Australia. Flathead ga ...

'' Klunzinger, 1872 (Flathead Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias supremus ''Galaxias supremus'', the Kosciuszko galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus '' Galaxias'', a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia. Description Similar to other member of genus ''Galaxias' ...

'' Raadik, 2014 (Kosciuszko Galaxias) * '' Galaxias tantangara'' Raadik, 2014 (Stocky Galaxias) * '' Galaxias tanycephalus'' Fulton, 1978 (Saddled Galaxias) * '' Galaxias terenasus'' Raadik, 2014 (Roundsnout Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias truttaceus Spotted galaxias (''Galaxias truttaceus'') is a largish, primarily-freshwater galaxias species found in southern Australia. Spotted galaxias are perhaps the most beautiful of the Australian galaxias species. They are a somewhat tubular, deep-bo ...

'' Valenciennes, 1846 (Spotted Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias vulgaris The common river galaxias or Canterbury galaxias (''Galaxias vulgaris'') is a galaxiid fish of the genus '' Galaxias'', found only in Canterbury, New Zealand. Description ''Galaxias vulgaris'' are a small freshwater fish which usually grow t ...

'' Stokell, 1949 (Common River Galaxias) * ''

Galaxias zebratus The Cape galaxias (''Galaxias zebratus'') is a species of freshwater fish of the family Galaxiidae. It is a small fish, rarely larger than 6 cm, that inhabits clear streams, rivers and ponds of South Africa. It shares the same habitat as im ...

'' Castelnau, 1861 (Cape Galaxias)

Distribution

Galaxiids are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, and generally only occur in

temperate latitude In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

s. Only one species is known from

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...

habitats. Galaxiids are the dominant group of native freshwater fish in New Zealand, and, along with the Percichthyidae, one of two dominant groups of native freshwater fish in southeastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Only one of the species ('' G. zebratus'') is found in Africa, and only three ('' G. globiceps'', '' G. maculatus'', and ''

G. platei G is the seventh letter of the Latin alphabet. G may also refer to: Places * Gabon, international license plate code G * Glasgow, UK postal code G * Eastern Quebec, Canadian postal prefix G * Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, ...

'') are found in South America.

Habitat

Galaxiids are coolwater species, with many wholly freshwater species specialising in high-altitude upland streams (including very small streams), rivers, and lakes. Some galaxiids include a marine stage in their lifecycles where larvae are washed out to sea to develop, and return to rivers as juveniles. This type of diadromous fish migration is known as amphidromy. These species are consequently also found in low-altitude habitats, but frequently migrate to high-altitude reaches of river systems in their adult stage.

Threats

Wholly freshwater galaxiids are gravely threatened by exotic

salmonid Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish that constitutes the only currently extant family in the order Salmoniformes . It includes salmon (both Atlantic and Pacific species), trout (both ocean-going and landlocked), chars, freshwater whitefis ...

species, particularly exotic trout species, which prey heavily upon them and compete with them for food and habitat. This is a major concern, as exotic trout species have been introduced to many different land masses (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) with no thought as to impacts on native fish such as galaxiids, and no attempt to preserve some exotic trout-free habitats for native fish.Biodiversity, Alien trout, and the "So what" attitude
/ref> In most situations, wholly freshwater galaxiids are unable to persist in the presence of exotic trout species, and many are now restricted to the few remaining trout-free habitats. Where these species are found in the presence of trout, the galaxiids usually consist entirely of individuals which dispersed there from an upstream trout-free population, and are not self-sustaining. Numerous localised extinctions of wholly freshwater galaxiid species (i.e. mountain galaxias) have been caused by the introduction of exotic trout species (including ongoing illegal stockings) and a number of wholly freshwater galaxiid species are threatened with extinction by exotic trout species and other exotic salmonids. Introduced salmoniids also have a negative impact on diadromous galaxiids, competing with them for food and habitat, as well as preying on them. However, the impact is not as great and they appear to be able to persist in the presence of trout.

References

External links