| Tasmanian mudfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| N. cleaveri in Tasmania, Australia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Galaxiiformes |
| Family: | Galaxiidae |
| Genus: | Neochanna |
| Species: | N. cleaveri |
| Binomial name | |
| Neochanna cleaveri (E. O. G. Scott, 1934) [1] | |
 | |
The Tasmanian mudfish, Neochanna cleaveri, is a small Australian amphidromous fish in the galaxiid family, of the order Osmeriformes.
Neochanna cleaveri is found in coastal wetlands of south eastern Australia: around Tasmania, Flinders Island in Bass Strait and southern Victoria particularly Wilsons Promontory. [2] [3] Isolated populations occur in the Otways, near Geelong and Melbourne in Victoria, as well as in far eastern South Australia near Naracoorte. [4] The fish's range has been significantly reduced, especially in Victoria, due to destruction of suitable habitat through human activity such as swamp reclamation and drainage. [5]
Typically galaxiid in form, scaleless, with an elongated, tubular body, and moderately sized mouth, [2] [3] it may be distinguished from other galaxiid species by the small eye and the blunt, rounded head shape with protruding tubular nostrils over the upper lip. [2] Pectoral fins are rounded. [2] [3] The pelvic fins are small and set at about the midpoint of the fish's length, and the dorsal and anal fins are set right back with the dorsal fin slightly ahead of the anal. [2] [3] Caudal fins are rounded with well-developed flanges along the caudal peduncle reaching nearly to the posterior edges of the dorsal and anal fins. [2] [3] Greenish brown in colour, sometimes golden, they are greyish on their ventral surfaces, [2] [3] and marked with irregular darker mottled bands and blotches over the back, sides, and fin bases. [2] [3] Its length is up to 140 mm; commonly it grows to 80 mm. [2] [3]
This species is found mostly in muddy swamps, marshes and drains with heavy vegetation. [2] [3] The fragmented populations in Victoria are likely to be remnants of a larger continuous population before European settlement. [3]
Although individuals would be taken as part of the Tasmanian whitebait fishery, the numbers of this species involved is likely to be quite small. [3] It adapts well to captivity and is easy to keep, but is secretive and nocturnal, limiting its appeal. [3]
Tasmanian mudfish are not listed nationally as threatened due to their relative abundance in Tasmania. [4] The fish is, however, listed in Victoria as critically endangered under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. [6]
Spawning in late winter, the hatched larvae are washed out to sea, spending about 2 to 3 months at sea or in estuaries before returning to fresh water as part of the whitebait migration. Tasmanian mudfish are smaller than other species comprising the whitebait fishery, generally only 30 to 40 mm at this age. The juvenile fish migrate upstream to their usual habitat. Nocturnal in habit and secretive in nature, the fish usually rest during daylight in heavy vegetation or half buried in the muddy substrate. N. cleaveri can aestivate if water in its location dries up in summer or in times of drought, burying horizontally in the mud or by seeking out moist areas of substrate under rocks and logs. [2] [3]
Other common names include Australian mudfish, [4] mud trout, [3] and mud galaxias. [3]
Other scientific names include: Galaxias cleaveri, [2] [3] Saxilaga cleaveri, [3] Saxilaga anguilliforms, [3] and Galaxias upcheri. [3]
The genus Neochanna is derived from the Greek neos meaning new and Channa, an Asian genus of aestivating fishes. [4] The species name is derived from the fish's original collector, Mr. F. Cleaver. [4]
The Galaxiidae are a family of mostly small freshwater fish in the Southern Hemisphere. The majority 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 galaxiid species, the common galaxias, 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.
The climbing galaxias or kōaro is a fish of the family Galaxiidae found in Australia, New Zealand, and nearby islands. The name climbing galaxias is used in Australia, and koaro or kōaro in New Zealand. Further vernacular names include short-finned galaxias, broad-finned galaxias, Cox's mountain galaxias, and Pieman galaxias.
The Chatham mudfish, formerly known as the Chathams galaxias, is a galaxiid fish endemic to two small, peaty lakes in southern Chatham Island, New Zealand.
The Canterbury mudfish, also known as the kowaro, is found only on the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand. Like other Neochanna species, it is a small, tubular and flexible fish which lacks scales. They are able to survive out of water in damp refuges if its wetland habitat dries out periodically over summer.
The waikaka or black mudfish is a fish of the family Galaxiidae, found only in swamps and wetlands in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, from Kaitaia in the north to the Mokau River in the south.
The brown mudfish is a galaxiid endemic to New Zealand. The species is found in wetlands in the southwest of the North Island and the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. It commonly grows to 100–130 mm in length, and it can live to at least 7 years. They are named for their brown color.
Neochanna is a genus of galaxiid fishes, commonly known as mudfish, which are native to New Zealand and south-eastern Australia.
The banded kōkopu is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, including the Chatham and Stewart/Rakiura islands. It commonly grows to 20–25 cm, but has been recorded growing to around 30 cm. Juvenile banded kōkopu are good climbers and can climb up waterfalls and other vertical surfaces by moving into the splash zone and wriggling up the surface, using the water surface tension and their large downturned fins for grip.
Eldon's galaxias is an endangered galaxiid fish endemic to New Zealand. One of several fishes in the genus Galaxias found in Central Otago, it has a very small home range and is at risk of being driven to extinction by trout introduced for recreational fishing.
The alpine river galaxias is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in mid to high elevation streams flowing from the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 11 cm.
Gollum galaxias is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in southern temperate regions in New Zealand. The species is widespread in rivers throughout the Southland Plains as well as the Von River and Nevis River tributaries of the Clutha River The species is found on Stewart Island/Rakiura, and throughout the Catlins.
Galaxias is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Galaxiidae, and are frequently referred to as the galaxiids. These highly adaptable fish are typically found at temperate latitudes across the Southern Hemisphere.
The Tasmanian whitebait, also known as the Australian whitebait or Derwent whitebait, is a semi-anadromous osmeriform fish of the family Galaxiidae, found only in Tasmania and southern Victoria, Australia.
Spotted galaxias is a largish, primarily-freshwater galaxias species found in southern Australia. Spotted galaxias are perhaps the most beautiful of the Australian galaxias species. They are a somewhat tubular, deep-bodied fish, with a dusky brownish-red colouration overlain with dark, haloed spots, dramatic black edges to dorsal, anal and pelvic fins, and a dark diagonal stripe through the eye.
The western galaxias, also called the western minnow, is a species of fish in the genus Galaxias of small, Southern Hemisphere freshwater fish of the family Galaxiidae. It is endemic to southwestern Australia.
Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 25 and 50 millimetres long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along coasts, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught using fine-meshed fishing nets. Whitebaiting is the activity of catching whitebait.
Galaxias arcanus, the riffle galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia.
Galaxias mcdowalli, McDowall's galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia.
Galaxias mungadhan, the Dargo galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Victoria, Australia.
Galaxias oliros, the obscure galaxias, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, a member of the Mountain Galaxias species complex group of freshwater fish, found in Australia.
