The golden galaxias, family Galaxiidae, is a small to medium, stout freshwater fish, reaching a maximum length of approximately 240 mm. Adults are golden to olive in colour with dark elliptical or ovoid spots on the back and sides, tending to silvery-grey on the underside. Fins are amber to light orange with a black posterior edge on the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins and the tail is forked. Juveniles have dark bands on the back and sides which gradually fragment into the characteristic pattern of adults.
Golden Galaxias |
Galaxias auratus
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Galaxias auratus
Threat factor Threat Evidence base type and status Habitat loss; disturbance and modifications Low lake known Lake Crescent and Lake Sorell have been impounded to levels caused current supply water to municipalities and agricultural water users in by water the Clyde River valley (Hardie 2013). extraction and drought Golden galaxias rely on littoral habitats; consisting of submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation and shorelines of rocky and sandy substrata; to spawn (Hardie 2013).
The prolonged drought and increased abstraction for irrigation is thought to have increased turbidity in Lake Crescent and Lake Sorell (Stuart Smith et al.; 2007).
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