Chatham mudfish
Species of ray-finned fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chatham mudfish (Neochanna rekohua), formerly known as the Chathams galaxias (Galaxias rekohua), is a galaxiid fish endemic to two small, peaty lakes in southern Chatham Island, New Zealand.
| Chatham mudfish | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Galaxiiformes |
| Family: | Galaxiidae |
| Genus: | Neochanna |
| Species: | N. rekohua |
| Binomial name | |
| Neochanna rekohua (C. P. Mitchell, 1995) | |
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| Approximate known distribution of the Chatham mudfish on a map of the Chatham Islands | |
It was discovered in 1994 by C.P. Mitchell, who initially placed it in the genus Galaxias, and gave it the species name rekohua after the Moriori word for the Chatham Islands.[2] In 2004, R.M. McDowall reassigned it to Neochanna based on its external anatomy, behaviour, and skeleton,[3] and this was subsequently supported by a genetic analysis.[4]
The Chatham mudfish is the most Galaxias-like of all the mudfishes, with a short body and small pelvic fins, and is closely related to the Canterbury mudfish.[5] Neochanna rekohua averages 75 mm (3.0 in) (though the largest individuals can reach 175 mm (6.9 in), and is a dark mottled brown. It only lives on the edges of a few peaty lakes amongst submerged wood, so is naturally uncommon, but abundant in the few spots where it occurs.[5]
As of 2014, the IUCN indicated that the Chatham mudfish was a least-concern species.[1]
