Shortjaw kokopu
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For a general article about all 3 kokopu.
| Shortjaw kokopu | ||||||||||||||||
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| Galaxias postvectis Clarke, 1899 |
The shortjaw kokopu, Galaxias postvectis, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, except the Chatham and Stewart Islands. It grows to a length of up to 26 cm.
Shortjaw kokopu have speckled coloration consisting of spots of various shades of brown and grey, with a distinctive dark patch behind the gill openings. The single dorsal and anal fins are large, rounded, and set back close to the large square caudal fin. Like all galaxiids it lacks scales and has a thick, leathery skin covered with mucus. The jaw is undercut, with the lower jaw being shorter than the upper.
This member of the Galaxiidae family is the rarest of the five species that occur in the whitebait runs that enter New Zealand rivers each spring. Adult shortjaw kokopu usually live in streams with large boulders, making detection difficult. With more appropriate detection methods it may not be as uncommon as previously thought. They penetrate well inland in many catchments, but they appear to be restricted to streams with native forest vegetation.
Shortjaw kokopu mostly feed on invertebrates that either live in the stream bed or fall into the water, and will move into the open at night for feeding.
[edit] References
- McDowall & Simons (1996). Galaxias postvectis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU B1+2bcd v2.3)
- "Galaxias postvectis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- NIWA June 2006
