Flathead galaxias (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The flathead galaxias, Galaxias rostratus, is a freshwater fish found in lowland rivers and streams and associated billabongs, backwaters, etc of the southern Murray-Darling river
system in Australia
.
Flathead galaxias continue a pattern found in Murray-Darling native fish of speciation into upland and lowland habitats. Flathead galaxias are found in lowland habitats while the Mountain Galaxias species complex, containing at least seven species of Galaxias (research is ongoing) are found in upland habitats as well as "midland" or upland/lowland transitional habitats.
There are serious concerns for flathead galaxias. They along with a number of other small native forage fish
are quietly disappearing from vast tracts of the Murray-Darling basin. Along with river regulation, destruction of water clarity and submergent macrophytes ("water weed") by exotic, illegally introduced Common Carp
(Cyprinus carpio) appears to be having a devastating effect on this species. It appears many or all of the small native forage fish of the southern Murray-Darling system used these weeds beds for shelter, feeding and spawning sites.
Murray-Darling Basin
The Murray-Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, whose name is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River. It drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass, and is currently by far the most significant agricultural...
system in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Flathead galaxias continue a pattern found in Murray-Darling native fish of speciation into upland and lowland habitats. Flathead galaxias are found in lowland habitats while the Mountain Galaxias species complex, containing at least seven species of Galaxias (research is ongoing) are found in upland habitats as well as "midland" or upland/lowland transitional habitats.
There are serious concerns for flathead galaxias. They along with a number of other small native forage fish
Forage fish
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding...
are quietly disappearing from vast tracts of the Murray-Darling basin. Along with river regulation, destruction of water clarity and submergent macrophytes ("water weed") by exotic, illegally introduced Common Carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
(Cyprinus carpio) appears to be having a devastating effect on this species. It appears many or all of the small native forage fish of the southern Murray-Darling system used these weeds beds for shelter, feeding and spawning sites.