Family GALAXIIDAE

Galaxiidae: Galaxias

Galaxias occidentalis

Galaxiidae: Lovettia

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Family GALAXIIDAE

Compiler and date details

9 Mar 2016 - John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates, Dianne J. Bray, Douglass F. Hoese, Tarmo Raadik & Matthew M. Lockett

8 December 2012 - Dianne J. Bray, John R. Paxton, Gerald R. Allen, Jennifer E. Gates & Douglass F. Hoese

2006 - John R. Paxton, Gerald R. Allen, Jennifer E. Gates, Dianne J. Bray & Douglass F. Hoese

Introduction

Members of the Galaxiidae, commonly known as galaxias, jollytails or native trout, are widespread in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, with species in Australia, Lord Howe Island, New Zealand, New Caledonia, South America, the Falkland Islands and South Africa. Worldwide 65 species in seven genera are described, belonging to two subfamilies: the Galaxiinae with 62 species in five genera, and the Aplochitoninae with three species in two genera (Raadik 2011, 2014, Coleman et al. 2015). Thirty-seven described species in five genera are found in Australia.

Historically, galaxiids were placed in the Salmoniformes — salmons, trouts and chars — found in the Northern Hemisphere. Subsequently, the galaxiids have been placed either in the salmoniform suborder Osmeroidei (Nelson 1994; Johnson & Patterson 1996; Paxton et al. 2006), or in the order Osmeriformes (Waters et al. 2000, 2001; Nelson 2006). More recently, Li et al. (2010) and Betancur-R et al. (2014) suggested that the galaxiids belong in their own order, the Galaxiiformes.

Begle (1991) combined the Aplochitonidae with the Galaxiidae, recognising two subfamilies, an arrangement followed by Nelson (1994); the genus Lovettia was included in Aplochitonidae. Johnson and Patterson (1996) presented considerable evidence to show that the group was better regarded as a tribe of the subfamily Galaxiinae. Nelson (2006) recognised three tribes, Galaxiini, Aplochitonini and Lovetiini. The tribes Aplochitonini and Lovetiini were reviewed by McDowall (1971), who recognised two genera for two species of peladillos from South America (Aplochiton) and one species of whitebait from Tasmania (Lovettia). At least one South American species apparently breeds in either marine or fresh water, whereas the Australian species is anadromous, living most of its life in the sea.

Paxton et al. (2006) followed Johnson and Patterson (1996) in recognising two subfamilies, the Galaxiinae and the monotypic Lepidogalaxiinae. Relationships of the Salamanderfish, Lepidogalaxias salamandroides have long been a source of debate, and here we follow the genetic studies of Waters et al. (2000), Li et al. (2010) and Burridge et al. (2012) in placing Lepidogalaxias in the family Lepidogalaxiidae.

In a comprehensive morphological, allozyme and molecular study, Raadik (2011) identified significant genetic diversity (see Adams et al. 2014) and revised the number of extant galaxiid species from 50 to 65 worldwide, with 37 of these found in Australian waters, including 15 cryptic species within the Galaxias olidus complex, 12 of which were undescribed. Raadik (2011) also identified at least two undescribed cryptic species within the G. brevipinnis complex. Raadik (2014) described the 12 new species in the Galaxias olidus complex and reinstated as valid taxa and redescribed G. fuscus and G. ornatus, previously synonymised with G. olidus by McDowall and Frankenberg (1981). In addition, a new cryptic species of Galaxiella from western Victoria and South Australia, previously included in G. pusilla, has been described in Coleman et al. (2015) (see also Coleman et al. 2010, and Unmack et al. 2012).

McDowall and Waters (2004) discussed phylogenetic relationships and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in Galaxiella, and Waters & McDowall (2005) undertook a phylogenetic study of Neochanna. Species are also treated in McDowall & Frankenberg (1981), Merrick and Schmida (1984), McDowall and Fulton (1996), Allen et al. (2002) and Raadik (2008). McDowall and Burridge (2011) discussed the osteology and relationships of galaxiids. and Burridge et al. (2012) reconstructed phylogenetic relationships in order to understand the distribution of contemporary galaxiid lineages.

Galaxiids are pelagic, benthic and cryptic, and most species attain lengths of less than 25 cm, although one species reaches 60 cm. They are primarily freshwater fishes, although some species are diadromous with marine post larval and juvenile stages. The Tasmanian Lovettia lives most of its life in the sea, but spawns in the upper parts of estuaries. Males are distinctive, with the urogenital and anal apertures in advance of the pelvic fins under the pectoral fins. Maximum size of the Australian species about 7.5 cm. A wide variety of invertebrate food items have been recorded, including insects, crustaceans, polychaetes and molluscs.

Species of Lovettia and Galaxias form huge shoals during their return to estuaries or fresh waters, and are commonly called whitebait during this migration. In Tasmania, whitebait, in particular Lovettia sealii, once formed the basis of a small commercial fishery. However, stocks declined to such low levels that the fishery was closed in 1974 (Kailola et al. 1993), re-opening in 1990 as a small recreational fishery only.