GALAXIAS CLEAVERI IN VICTORIA 
79 
Figure2. Localities from which Galaxiascleaveri has been recorded in Victoria (□); • = additional sites surveyed 
in this study, but where G. cleaveri was not found. Inset: areas where G. cleaveri was previously recorded by 
Jackson & Davies (1982) (1) and Koehn & O’Connor (1990a) (2). 
swamp and drain habitats favoured by this spe¬ 
cies. In addition, specimens of G. cleaveri may 
have been misidentified, particularly before the 
species was recognised as occurring in Vic¬ 
toria. 
New records 
In 1990 we surveyed likely G. cleaveri habitats 
(small creeks, drains and swamps) in the lowland 
coastal plains of the Otway Ranges between 
Skenes Creek (143°43'E, 38°43'S) and the 
Johanna River (143°23'E, 38°45'S) (Fig. 2). 
Twenty-four sites were sampled using a Smith 
Root Model 12 backpack electrofisher and dip 
nets. Details of all sites sampled and fish species 
collected are included in Koehn et al. (1991). 
Eleven specimens of G. cleaveri were collected 
from three sites (sites 3,4 and 5; Fig. 2 and Table 
1) in the Aire and Calder River valleys, 35 km 
west of the locality on the Wye River where the 
species was recorded by Koehn & O’Connor 
(1990a). Specimens have been deposited with 
the Museum of Victoria: NMV A9512 (Calder 
River); NMV A9513, A9510 (Aire River, drain); 
NMV A9511 (Aire River, billabong). 
Population density of G. cleaveri at the three 
sites could not be estimated because of the dense 
vegetation and because of the cryptic and noc¬ 
turnal habits of G, cleaveri. The option of clear¬ 
ing aquatic vegetation to sample more effec¬ 
tively was rejected as all sites were small in 
area. 
Associations 
All other species associated with G. cleaveri 
(Table 1) are common in the area (Koehn & 
O’Connor 1990a), are diadromous (with the ex¬ 
ception of Pseudogobius olorum), and most have 
been recorded from low-lying swampy habitats. 
P. olorum is usually resident in tower freshwater 
or estuarine areas as well as in coastal lagoons 
(Allen 1989), and the specimens of G. brevipin- 
