| Canterbury mudfish | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Osmeriformes |
| Family: | Galaxiidae |
| Subfamily: | Galaxiinae |
| Genus: | Neochanna |
| Species: | N. burrowsius |
| Binomial name | |
| Neochanna burrowsius (Phillipps, 1926) |
|
The Canterbury mudfish, Neochanna burrowsius, also known as the kowaro, is a galaxiid of the genus Neochanna, found only across the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand.[1] The first Canterbury mudfish was originally described by W J Phillipps in 1926, from a sample sent to him by A. Burrows, from the North Canterbury town of Oxford.[2]
Its length is up to 15 cm. The Canterbury mudfish has small eyes and only four or five pelvic fins, while other New Zealand Galaxids have seven fins. Although generally a plain brown color, sometimes small gold flecks can be seen.[3]
Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, the Canterbury mudfish is considered to have the conservation status of 'acutely threatened' and 'Nationally Endangered'.[4] The Canterbury species is the second most threatened native fish in New Zealand.[3] By 2007, it was limited to only 80 known habitats. Water shortages and the exponential expansion of agriculture are the causes of habitat loss.[3]
A release of Canterbury mudfish has been carried out in a protected wetland near Willowby, south of Ashburton, New Zealand, where it is hoped they will survive and reproduce. In May 2010 ninety young fish were released into Travis Wetland in the city of Christchurch in the hope that they would become established.[5]