NATIVE SPECIES

Common Name Climbing (Broad-finned galaxias) Translocated/ Native Scientific Name Galaxias brevipinnis Günther, 1866 Photo: Neil Armstrong Photo: Neil

Identification its eggs amongst vegetation on the stream A relatively large galaxiid with a large, edge above the normal flow level, presumably dorsoventrally flattened head and a large when streams are in flood. In these run mouth reaching to below the eyes. Maximum populations the eggs are deposited in flooded size 278 mm; usually 150–180 mm. Adults riparian areas, usually within 1 m but up to are sturdy and almost tubular, and usually 7 m from the water’s edge. Fecundity is high: have a blue-black blotch above the base of up to 23,676 eggs have been reported, and an the pectoral fins. The tail is truncate and the average of 7,000 per individual. The eggs are pectoral fins are large, low and downward round, adhesive and 1.8–2.1 mm diameter. facing, hence its alternative common name of They develop out of water in these damp Broad-finned galaxias. The body is scaleless habitats for days or weeks and hatch with the and greyish brown to olive, often patterned next flood. The larvae are thought to be swept with bold chevron stripes on the dorsal and downstream to the sea, where they remain lateral surfaces, and the belly is a dull silvery for 5–6 months before migrating back into olive. estuarine and freshwater habitats. The reproductive ecology in the landlocked Biology and Habitat population of the Basin is unknown, but The Climbing galaxias is normally a fish of in similar situations in large lakes coastal streams, but it has been transferred replace the marine larval stage. There has been to the upper Murray drainage in water from little investigation into the species’ ecology in the Snowy River, via the Snowy Mountains the Basin, but in the upper Murray spawning Scheme. It is among the several coastal is thought to occur in late April or early May. galaxiids that can survive and reproduce as landlocked populations. In coastal streams it The diet consists mainly of aquatic breeds during autumn and winter, scattering such as , dipterans and small crustaceans. The species

38 Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin An introductory guide 39 ID Valley 1 Avoca 2 Border Rivers 3 Broken 4 campaspe 5 castlereagh 6 central Murray 7 condamine 8 darling 9 goulburn 10 gwydir 11 Kiewa 12 Lachlan 13 Loddon 14 Lower Murray 15 Macquarie 16 Mitta Mitta 17 Murrumbidgee 18 namoi 19 ovens 20 Paroo 21 upper Murray 22 Warrego 23 Wimmera

is renowned for its ability to climb vertical Potential Threats waterfalls and rock faces, using its broad Where it is a translocated species, the pectoral and pelvic fins. Climbing galaxias may pose a threat to other native fish species, such as galaxiids or Distribution and Abundance blackfish, through competition for food or This widespread species is found in coastal space. In its natural habitats, it is threatened streams of south-eastern and New by predation and displacement by introduced Zealand. Although it can be predominantly species, and habitat loss through considered as occurring in the Basin as a deforestation. result of translocation, there is an historical record from the Lower Murray in SA where General References it probably had a small population in the Glova & Sagar 1989; Hammer 2004; Mt Lofty Ranges, which adjoins coastal McDowall & Fulton 1996; Merrick & populations (e.g. the species is common on Schmida 1984; Morison & Anderson 1991; the nearby southern Fleurieu Peninsula). O’Connor & Koehn 1998; Waters et al. 2002. In the Basin, it is largely restricted to the upper Murray and its tributaries such as the Kiewa, Geehi, Swampy Plains, and Tooma rivers although recent records from the lower Goulburn and Broken rivers indicate it is spreading downstream. A recent record of the species from the Tumut catchment (presumably via the Snowy Mountains Scheme) is the first record for the Murrumbidgee drainage.

38 Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin An introductory guide 39 Published by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission Postal address: GPO Box 409, Canberra ACT 2601 Office location: Level 3, 51 Allara Street, Canberra City ACT Telephone: (02) 6279 0100, international + 61 2 6279 0100 Facsimile: (02) 6248 8053, international + 61 2 6248 8053 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.mdbc.gov.au For further information contact the Murray-Darling Basin Commission office on (02) 6279 0100 This fish fact sheet is an extract derived from the report: Lintermans, M. 2007, Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin: An introductory guide. MDBC Publication No. 10/07 ISBN 1 921257 20 2 © Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2007 This work is copyright. Graphical and textual information in the work (with the exception of photographs, artwork and the MDBC logo) may be stored, retrieved and reproduced in whole or in part provided the information is not sold or used for commercial benefit and its source (Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin) is acknowledged. Such reproduction includes fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction for other purposes is prohibited without the permission of the Murray- Darling Basin Commission or the individual photographers and artists with whom copyright applies. To extent permitted by law, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or whole) and any information or material contained in it.

ii Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin