Description of the larval development of Galaxies maculatus in landlocked lentic and lotic systems in Western Australia

Abstract

The larvae and larval development of Galaxias maculatus are described from a freshwater lake and a saline river in southwestern Western Australia. The size at hatching (7.0 mm total length) was similar to that recorded elsewhere for G. maculatus and the sequence of fin development (i.e., caudal, dorsal, anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins) was identical to that recorded for galaxiids generally. There were relative increases in the proportions of head length and body depth with larval growth and a decrease in proportion of pre‐anal length. Larvae from river habitats were smaller throughout larval stages of development than those from the lake. Fins of riverine fish began and completed development at a smaller size of fish than the lacustrine population, presumably as a response to the need for great motility at a smaller fish size in lotic environments.

Keywords:

• common galaxias
• prefiexion
• flexion and postfiexion larvae
• fin ray counts