Alpine galaxias

Taxobox
name = Alpine galaxias
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Osmeriformes
familia = Galaxiidae
subfamilia = Galaxiinae
genus = "Galaxias"
species = "G. paucispondylus"
binomial = "Galaxias paucispondylus"
binomial_authority = Stokell, 1938

The alpine river galaxias, "Galaxias paucispondylus", is a galaxiid of the genus "Galaxias", found only in mid to high altitude streams flowing from the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 11 cm.

Alpine galaxias are speckled olive-green over a light brown base. The single large dorsal fin is rounded, and set back two thirds of the body length, the anal fin a little further back. The caudal fin is large and slightly forked. Like all galaxiids it lacks scales and has a thick, leathery skin covered with mucus.

Alpine galaxias have 16 caudal and seven pelvic fin rays compared to 15 and six, respectively, in dwarf galaxias, as the two species' habitats do overlap.

They are non-diadromous and therefore do not have a marine phase and are not part of the whitebait catch.

References

*
* [http://www.niwascience.co.nz/rc/freshwater/fishatlas/species/alpine_galaxias NIWA June 2006]