Author: Raadik, 2014
FBname: Dargo Galaxias
Comments: A freshwater fish that is unable to undertake diadromous migrations. Recorded from a small (0.5-1.3 m average width, 0.05-0.40 m average depth), cool, clear, alpine creek, flowing through a grassy plain, consisting predominantly of riffles and pools, and with very little shading except that provided by grasses. During winter this catchment is often covered by snow for varying periods of time. Substrate consisted mainly of bedrock with some loose boulders, with smaller amounts of pebble, gravel, sand and clay and overlain in backwaters by silt. Instream cover provided by rock and by bank and vegetation (alpine grasses) overhang, and pools averaged 0.5 m in depth. Recorded at densities of 4.2-6.4 fish/m2 and is the only native fish species so far recorded from within its range and the only species of Galaxias found within its current restricted range. Historically have been found with <i>Galaxias olidus</i>, which is present nearby. <i>Galaxias brevipinnis, Galaxias maculatus</i> and <i>Galaxias truttaceus</i> are found farther downstream in the Dargo River system and their ranges may also have historically overlapped with this species. Alien trout have substantially altered distributional patterns in the last 150 years and fragmented and reduced the distributional range of galaxiids and their populations (Ref. 98815).