The Chatham mudfish (''Neochanna rekohua'')'','' formerly known as the Chathams galaxias (''Galaxias rekohua''), is a galaxiid fish

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to two small, peaty lakes in southern Chatham Island, New Zealand. It was discovered in 1994 by C.P. Mitchell, who initially placed it in the genus ''Galaxias,'' and gave it the species name ''rekohua'' after the Moriori word for the Chatham Islands. In 2004, R.M. McDowall reassigned it to '' Neochanna'' based on its external anatomy, behaviour, and skeleton, and this was subsequently supported by a genetic analysis. The Chatham mudfish is the most ''Galaxias''-like of all the mudfishes, with a short body and small

pelvic The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The ...

fins, and is closely related to the

Canterbury mudfish The Canterbury mudfish (''Neochanna burrowsius''), also known as the kowaro, is found only on the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand.70% over ten years. Also in 2014 the IUCN rated the Canterbury mudfish as "Critically endangered". The Canterbury ...

. ''Neochanna rekohua'' averages 75 mm (though the largest individuals can reach 175 mm), and is a dark mottled brown. It only lives on the edges of a few peaty lakes amongst submerged wood, so is naturally uncommon, but abundant in the few spots where it occurs. As of 2014, the IUCN indicated that the Chatham mudfish was a least-concern species.

References

Chatham mudfish Endemic freshwater fish of New Zealand Fauna of the Chatham Islands Chatham mudfish {{Osmeriformes-stub