Galaxiid

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iGalaxiidae
A mountain galaxias.
A mountain galaxias.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Osmeriformes
Suborder: Osmeroidei
Family: Galaxiidae
Genera

See text for genera.

The Galaxiids are a family of mostly small freshwater fish. Representatives occur throughout the southern hemisphere, including South Africa, South America, New Zealand, Australia, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia and the Falkland Islands. One species of galaxiid, Galaxias maculatus is probably the most widely naturally distributed freshwater fish in the world.

Some Galaxiids live in freshwater all their lives but many include a marine cycle for the formation of their juveniles whereby larvae are hatched in a river but are washed downstream to the ocean where they develop and return to rivers as juveniles and further develop and remain as adults.

Contents

[edit] Genera

[edit] Fishing

The juveniles of those galaxiid that develop in the ocean and then move into rivers for their adult life are caught as whitebait while moving upstream and are much valued as a delicacy.

Adult galaxiids may be caught for food but they are generally not large and their exploitation is usually controlled (Australia) or banned (New Zealand) unless available to indigenous tribes.

[edit] Australian Galaxiid

Galaxiid are found around the south eastern seaboard of Australia and in some parts of south western Australia. Species that are common to all areas are:

[edit] South East Australian Mainland

Threatened species are:

[edit] Western Australian Galaxiid

  • Western galaxias, Galaxias occidentalis
  • Mud minnow, Galaxiella munda
  • Black-stripe minnow, Galaxiella nigrostriata

[edit] Tasmanian Galaxiid

15 species of Galaxiid have been found in Tasmania. The most common species are:

While endangered species are:

[edit] New Zealand Galaxiid

19 species of galaxiid have been discovered in New Zealand. Most of these live in freshwater all their lives. However, the larvae of some species develop in the ocean where they form part of the plankton and return to rivers as juveniles where they develop and remain as adults.

Galaxiids in New Zealand are:

[edit] South American Galaxiid

[edit] South African Galaxiid

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