The search for Dwarf Galaxias continues in the South East

The search for Dwarf Galaxias continues in the South East

The Dwarf Galaxias (Galaxiella pusilla) is a tiny freshwater fish endemic to south-eastern Australia. Although the Dwarf Galaxias is still widely distributed, populations are fragmented and patchy across the landscape.

With the generous grant funding support of Nature Foundation SA, this project is aiming to undertake the most comprehensive review of the species status and distribution in the South East of SA since Michael Hammer’s survey during the severe drought in 2008.

As well as enabling the opportunistic collection of data on the species from a range of sites over the past 18 months, NGT has been undertaking a more intensive survey over recent weeks, that we hope to continue for a few more weeks yet, given that wetlands still have sufficient water in many parts of the region.

Results from the 34 wetland sites assessed so far, have included the detection of freshwater fish from 18 sites, with Dwarf Galaxias being found at 10 of these sites.

A Dwarf Galaxias detected during targeted survey work in Spring 2013

Mark Bachmann