The Canterbury mudfish,Galaxias burrowsius Phillipps,a vanishing species |
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| Authors: | W Skrzynski |
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| Institution: | Fisheries Research Division, Marine Department , Wellington |
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| Abstract: | Examination of available samples and of ecological knowledge of Galaxias burrowsius Phillipps (Galaxiidae) suggests that this species is confined to the Canterbury Plains and is now nearly extinct. Possible reasons for its decline are analysed and it is suggested that this decline may have started nearly 1,000 years ago with the changes in the climate‐vegetation pattern. It has been hastened by the recent drastic transformation of the environment by European settlers. Distribution and habitats of two other New Zealand mudfishes, Neochanna apoda and N. diversus (Galaxiidae) are related to those of G. burrowsius |
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