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Inanga
Galaxias maculatus
-37.8618, 175.479
Field Notes
Description:
Small, sleek native Galaxiid. Usually adults grow to about 100mm (4") long but bigger specimens are known up to 150mm. (Largest on record 190mm.) Dorsal surface is amber to olive covered in dark green to black speckles and blotches. Sides below lateral line are green paling to white/silver on the ventral surface. Fins are clear. This species has a distinctly forked tail and the dorsal fin is far back on the body directly above the anal fin.
Habitat:
Widely distributed around all islands of New Zealand favouring slow flowing to still fresh water. Adults migrate to estuaries to spawn and once hatched, larvae move to the sea for the winter, returning to fresh water as sub adults or Whitebait. These fish were found in a tributary of the Karapiro Stream in the North Island of New Zealand. They are probably at about their limit away from the sea. They are poor climbers and can only migrate in relatively easy gradient waterways.
Notes:
The fry of this species make up the bulk of the Whitebait catch in New Zealand which is considered a delicacy by many. Please note these fish were released unharmed back into their environment.
Inanga are native to New Zealand but are also found in Chile/Argentina as far east as the Falkland Islands and Australia.
Ref: Dept of Conservation (NZDOC) Migratory Galaxiids
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