THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 

 No. 119. NOVEMBER 1867. 



XXXIX. — On a new form of Mudfish from New Zealand. 

 By Dr. Albert Gunther, F.ll.S. 



[Plate VII.] 



The family of Galaxidse was formed by the late Johannes Miiller 

 for a single genus, Galaxias — scaleless freshwater fishes from the 

 temperate zone of the southern hemispherej which, with regard 

 to the development and position of their fins, remind us of the 

 Pikes of the northern hemisphere, but in other respects (as, for 

 instance, in their dentition and open ovaria) resemble the Salmo- 

 noids, to which they have been compared by Miiller. Also the 

 settlers of at least some parts of New Zealand have dignified the 

 larger kinds with the name of "trout^^ or "rock-trout." However, 

 they cannot be regarded as the southern representatives of the 

 Salmonoids, inasmuch as recent researches have shown that this 

 latter family is represented in the southern hemisphere by 

 other, much more closely allied genera*. If we look for the 

 representatives of the Galaxidse in other zones, perhaps the African 

 Mormyridae and the Arctic Esocidaj are those which may be 

 mentioned with the greatest propriety. 



Up to the present time only twelve species of Galaxias are 

 known, which I have described in the ^Catal. of Fish.' vol. vi. 

 pp. 208-213. Their geographical distribution is a point to 

 which the greatest interest attaches. We find the genus most 

 developed in New Zealand, where five species occur, and these 

 are the largest of the whole group. Westwards it extends 

 to New South Wales, with three, and to Van Diemen's Land, 

 with two species. Another is said to be an inhabitant -of the 

 creeks of Queensland; but this is doubtful. Eastwards the 

 same genus is met with again in the southernmost parts of 

 America (Falkland Islands, Patagonia, Terra del Fuego), whence 



* Haplochiton and Prototroctes: see Giinth. Fish. v. p. .':iyi. 

 An?i. ^ Maff. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. xx. 21 



