Western Galaxias, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby 1899

Other Names: Western Jollytail, Western Minnow

Summary:

An olive-green to tannish brown Galaxias with a series of irregular darker bars along sides, and a silvery belly.

Cite this page as:

Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2020, Galaxias occidentalis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 24 Mar 2023, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3676

Western Galaxias, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby 1899

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to south-western Australia, from Known only from Wauchinnicup Creek east of Albany in the south, to the Arrowsmith River north of Perth. Forms moderate-sized schools in fast flowing water near rapids and waterfalls, slower moving streams and pools around submerged vegetation and woody debris; also lakes and wetlands; tolerates brackish conditions.
Features	Dorsal fin 10-12; Anal fin 12-18 (usually 14-16); Pectoral fin 10-15 (usually 13-14); Gill rakers 13-14. Body elongate and slender; greatest depth 6.0-6.5 in SL; head flattened; snout moderately pointed; lateral canine teeth present in jaws and enlarged fangs at middle of lower jaw; lower jaw protruding slightly; caudal peduncle long. Scales absent. Caudal fin truncate or slightly emarginate.
Size	Maximum size to 19 cm, commonly to 9 cm TL.
Colour	Olive green to tan-brown overall with a series of darker bars on upper sides (sometimes pale and indistinct) with a silvery body, amber fins and golden eye.
Feeding	Feed mainly on insects and small crustaceans.
Biology	Spends entire lifecycle in freshwater.
Species Citation	Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby, 1899, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 24(1): 157. Type locality: Perth, Western Australia.
Author	Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2020
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Western Galaxias, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby 1899

References

Allen, G.R. 1982. Inland Fishes of Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 86 pp. 6 figs 20 pls.

Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls.

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.

Beatt,y S.J. & Morgan, D.L. 2016. Rapid proliferation of an endemic galaxiid following eradication of an alien piscivore (Perca fluviatilis) from a reservoir. Journal of Fish Biology, 8 pp, doi:10.1111/jfb.13214

Brown, C. 2019. Galaxias occidentalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T123355786A123382656. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T123355786A123382656.en. Downloaded on 31 August 2020.

Gill, H.S. & Neira, F.J. 1998. Galaxiidae (Galaxiinae): southern galaxias. pp. 70-77 in Neira, F.J., Miskiewicz, A.G. & Trnski, T. Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. Nedlands, Western Australia : University of Western Australia press 474 pp.

McDowall, R.M. 2006. Crying wolf, crying foul, or crying shame: alien salmonids and a biodiversity crisis in the southern cool-temperate galaxioid fishes? Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 16: 233-422

McDowall, R.M. & Frankenberg, R.S. 1981. The galaxiid fishes of Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 33(10): 443-605 figs 1-47 DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.33.1981.195

Merrick, J.R. & Schmida, G.E. 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes Biology and Management. Sydney : J.R. Merrick 409 pp. figs 280 col. figs.

Morgan, D.L., Beatty, S.J., Klunzinger, M.W., Allen, M.G. & Burnham, Q.E. 2011. A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Crayfishes & Mussels of South-Western Australia. Murdoch, Western Australia : SERCUL & Freshwater Fish Group & Fish Health Unit (Murdoch University) 80 pp.

Morgan, D.L., Gill, H.S. & Potter, I.C. 1998. Distribution, identification and biology of freshwater fishes in south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 56: 1-97.

Morgan, D.L., Unmack, P.J., Beatty, S.J., Ebner, B.C., Allen, M.G., Keleher, J.J., Donaldson, J.A. & Murphy, J. 2014. An overview of the ‘freshwater fishes’ of Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 97: 263–278

Ogilby, J.D. 1899. Contributions to Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 24(1): 154-186. See ref at BHL

Pen, L.J. & Potter, I.C. 1991. Biology of the western minnow, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby (Teleostei: Galaxiidae), in a south-western Australian river. 1. Reproductive biology. Hydrobiologia 211(2): 77-88. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00037364

Pen, L.J. & Potter, I.C. 1991. Biology of the western minnow, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby (Teleostei: Galaxiidae), in a south-western Australian river. 2. Size and age composition, growth and diet. Hydrobiologia 211(2): 89-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00037365

Raadik, T.A. 2014. Fifteen from one: a revision of the Galaxias olidus Günther, 1866 complex (Teleostei, Galaxiidae) in south-eastern Australia recognises three previously described taxa and describes 12 new species. Zootaxa 3898(1): 1-198 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3898.1.1

Unmack, P.J. 2001. Biogeography of Australian freshwater fishes. Journal of Biogeography 28: 1053-1089