Description

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Galaxiiformes

Family: Galaxiidae

Genus: Galaxias

Species: Galaxias truttaceus Valenciennes, 1846

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Facultative air-breathing in the genus (Ref. 126274); Occurs in still or slow-flowing waters at low elevations close to the sea; most abundant along shore margins in rocky areas. Found around plants, rocks or logs on the margins of still or flowing rivers, streams and lakes (Ref. 44894). The species has a marine juvenile stage, indicative of a diadromous life cycle. Spawning takes place from autumn to winter, among aquatic vegetation. Newly hatched larvae drift downcurrent and out to sea where they spend their first few months, eventually returning to fresh water during spring among annual whitebait migrations. In lacustrine and other landlocked populations, adults move upstream into feeder streams to spawn. The larvae are then swept downstream into lakes (Ref. 44894). Feeds mainly on aquatic and terrestrial insects.

Habitat

freshwater