Abstract

The Australian mudfish, Galaxias cleaveri, resembles the three New Zealand mudfishes (Neochanna spp.) in general external morphology. It is the least specialised of a transformation series that includes all four mudfishes, in which the body is elongated, eyes are small, anterior nostrils long, tubular and forward directed, dorsal and anal fins low and long, flanges on the caudal peduncle well developed, pectoral fins small, paddle-shaped, and high on sides behind head, and pelvic fins reduced or lost. Unique specialisations in the vomerine-ethmoid region of the cranium and in the form of the pectoral girdle support the view that these four species are a monophyletic group. The Australian species is therefore included in Neochanna. The presence of a marine larval and juvenile life stage in the Australian species (diadromy) probably explains the distribution of the genus, with New Zealand species together derived from the Australian one or their common ancestor by dispersal across the Tasman Sea in prevailing ocean currents. The biogeography of the Australian and New Zealand species is consistent with post-Oligocene geology, and in particular with events during and since the Pleistocene.

 
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Bibliographic Data

Short Form
McDowall, 1997, Rec. Aust. Mus. 49(2): 121–137
Author
R. M. McDowall
Year
1997
Title
Affinities, generic classification and biogeography of the Australian and New Zealand mudfishes (Salmoniformes: Galaxiidae).
Serial Title
Records of the Australian Museum
Volume
49
Issue
2
Start Page
121
End Page
137
DOI
10.3853/j.0067-1975.49.1997.1262
Language
en
Date Published
15 October 1997
Cover Date
15 October 1997
ISSN (print)
0067-1975
CODEN
RAUMAJ
Publisher
The Australian Museum
Place Published
Sydney, Australia
Subjects
FISHES; BIOGEOGRAPHY
Digitized
19 November 2008
Available Online
05 March 2009
Reference Number
1262
EndNote
1262.enw
Title Page
1262.pdf
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Complete Work
1262_complete.pdf
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