Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Galaxiiformes (Southern smelts) >
Galaxiidae (Galaxiids) > Galaxiinae
Etymology: Galaxias: Greek, galaxias, ou = a kind of fish (Ref. 45335); gunaikurnai: Named for Gunai/Kurnai indigenous nation, the traditional inhabitants of the Gippsland region of Victoria. It is found within the country of the Brayakuloong people, one of the five major clans; noun in apposition.
Eponymy: The Gunai/Kurnai is an indigenous nation and the traditional inhabitants of the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 1 m (Ref. 98815). Subtropical
Oceania: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.4 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 98815); max. published weight: 11.00 g (Ref. 98815)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 10; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11; Vertebrae: 52 - 55. This species is distinguished from all other species of the Galaxias olidus complex by the following set of characters: dorsal fin set far back (pre-dorsal fin length about 70.4-74.1 % SL); the long distance between pectoral and pelvic fin bases (30.8-33.8 % SL); caudal fin is shorter than caudal peduncle length and vertical width of expanded caudal fin rays about the same as the body depth through the pectoral fin base; caudal peduncle flanges just reaching adpressed anal fin rays; short head (20.0-20.7 % SL), distinctly shorter than pelvic fin to anal fin length distance, but wide (66.2-71.2 % HL) and deep (44.2-49.9 % SL); snout long (29.2-32.0 % HL); nostrils are short and not visible from ventral view; eye relatively small (16.6-17.8 % HL); inter-orbital gap broad (39.2-41.2 % HL); most posterior extent of mouth usually 0.8 eye diameter below ventral margin of eye; dorsal and anal fin bases are short (8.3-10.1 and 8.8-10.7 % SL), with anal fin length/length of anal fin base ratio high (147-163 %); anal fin origin usually under 0.74 distance posteriorly along dorsal fin base; anal fin segmented ray count often 10; gill rakers are moderately long and usually pointed; usually 1, sometimes 2 stout and wide pyloric caecae of moderate length (2.0 % SL); absence of black midlateral bars (Ref. 98815).
Facultative air-breathing in the genus (Ref. 126274); A freshwater fish not able to undertake diadromous migrations. In 2002, it was recorded from a small (0.6-1.4 m average width and 0.15-0.20 m in average depth), cool, clear, alpine creek, flowing through a grassy plain, consisting of pools, glides and riffles, with smaller amounts of small cascades, and with very little shading except that provided by grasses. During the winter the catchment is usually covered by snow for varying periods of time. Substrate consisted of bedrock, boulder and cobble, with smaller amounts of pebble, gravel and coarse sand. The instream cover was provided mainly by rock and from bank and vegetation (alpine grasses) overhang, and pools averaged 0.5 m in depth. Recorded densities of 0.05-0.18 fish/m2 and it is the only native fish species so far recorded from within its range (Ref. 98815).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Raadik, T.A., 2014. Fifteen from one: a revision of the Galaxias olidus Günther, 1866 complex (Teleostei, Galaxiidae) in south-eastern Australia recognises three previously described taxa and describes 12 new species. Zootaxa 3898(1):001-198. (Ref. 98815)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00490 (0.00206 - 0.01165), b=3.12 (2.91 - 3.33), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
