Galaxiidae
| Galaxiidae | |
|---|---|
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| A mountain galaxias (Galaxias olidus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Osmeriformes |
| Family: |
Galaxiidae Bonaparte 1832 |
| Genera | |
|
Aplochiton |
|
Aplochiton
Brachygalaxias
Galaxias
Galaxiella
Lovettia
Neochanna
Paragalaxias
The Galaxiidae, also known by the anglicised name as galaxiids, are a family of mostly small freshwater fish in the Southern Hemisphere. The majority of species live in Southern Australia or New Zealand, but some are found in South Africa, southern South America, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, and the Falkland Islands. One of the galaxiid species, the common galaxias (Galaxias maculatus), is probably the most widely naturally distributed freshwater fish in the Southern Hemisphere. They are coolwater species, found in temperate latitudes, with only one species known from subtropical habitats. Many specialise in living in cold, high-altitude upland rivers, streams, and lakes.
Some galaxiids live in fresh water all their lives, but many have a partially marine lifecycle. In these cases, larvae are hatched in a river, but are washed downstream to the ocean, later returning to rivers as juveniles to complete their development to full adulthood. This pattern differs from that of salmon, which only return to fresh water to breed, and is described as amphidromous.
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Wikipedia