Guide to the Galaxiid Fishes of Australia

Galaxiids are small mostly freshwater fishes of Gondwana origin and restricted to the Southern Hemisphere with the majority in temperate Australia and New Zealand. There are 5 genera in Australia and they are particularily well represented in the highlands of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. The genus Galaxias is largest, comprising taxa-complexes with many members of undetermined status. The taxa are described and illustrated with multiple images, including the many putative new species in Victoria andNew South Wales. These fishes are critically endangered with natural habitats being destroyed and predatory trout recklessly introduced, and survive in tributaries of rivers as localised small populations in forested habitats. The Galaxiid fishes are most vulnerable in their last stand, but with the small percentage of these fishes left there is a great urgency to keep them safe. The habitats need to be protected for all creatures and destructive actions have to stop, arresting the demise of the remaining populations