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Galaxias truttaceus Valenciennes, 1846 Spotted mountain trout |
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photo by
Colman, J.G. |
| Family: | Galaxiidae (Galaxiids), subfamily: Galaxiinae | |||
| Max. size: | 20 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine, amphidromous | |||
| Distribution: | Oceania: widely separated populations in southeastern and southwestern Australia. | |||
| Diagnosis: | ||||
| Biology: | Adults occur in still or slow-flowing waters at low elevations close to the sea; most abundant along shore margins in rocky areas. They are found around plants, rocks or logs on the margins of still or flowing rivers, streams and lakes (Ref. 44894). Marine juvenile stage is present which is indicative of a diadromous life cycle. Spawning takes place from autumn to winter, among aquatic vegetation. Newly hatched larvae drift downcurrent and out to sea where they spend their first few months, eventually returning to fresh water during spring among annual whitebait migrations. In lacustrine and other landlocked populations, adults move upstream into feeder streams to spawn. The larvae are then swept downstream into lakes (Ref. 44894). Feeds mainly on aquatic and terrestrial insects. | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 January 2019 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||