Latest threat classification list

[Stella]

A paper has just been made avaliable updating the threat classifications of freshwater fish in New Zealand.

I have written out the main categories below. Many species have qualifying codes, such as 'data poor' or 'conservation dependant' etc, which give a bit more resolution, but I haven't included them here.

Note: The 'taxonomically indeterminate' section is where species have not been described, or there is clear but unresolved genetic groupings going on. The latter includes the north and south groups of upland bullies and dwarf galaxias.

(I have starred the species that I have covered in my book. Quite pleased to see that none of them had moved to the threatened list and require a full last-minute removal from the book!)

Extinct

Grayling

Nationally Critical

Lowland longjaw galaxias

Canterbury mudfish

Nationally Endangered

Dusky galaxias

Eldon’s galaxias

Nationally Vulnerable

Roundhead galaxias

Bignose galaxias

Upland longjaw galaxias

*Northland mudfish

Declining

*Longfin eels

*Torrentfish

Dwarf galaxias (Sth)

*Giant kokopu

*Koaro

Gollum galaxias

*Inanga

*Shortjaw kokopu

Lamprey

*Bluegill bully

*Redfin bully

*Brown mudfish

Relictual

*Black mudfish

Naturally Uncommon

Dwarf inanga

Tarndale bully

Chatham Island mudfish

*Stokell’s smelt

Not Threatened

Yelloweyed mullet

*Shortfin eel

Flathead galaxias

*Banded kokopu

Alpine galaxias

Canterbury galaxias

*Cran’s bully

*Upland bully (sth island)

*Common bully

*Giant bully

Grey mullet

Estuarine triplefin

*Common smelt

Black flounder

Taxonomically Indeterminate

Nationally Critical

Lowland longjaw galaxias (Waitaki River)

Teviot galaxias (Teviot River)

Nationally Endangered

Alpine galaxias (Manuherikia River)

Nationally Vulnerable

Smeagol galaxias (Nevis River)

Upland longjaw galaxias (Waitaki River)

Clutha flathead galaxias (Clutha)

Declining

*Dwarf galaxias (North Island, Nelson, Marlborough)

Naturally Uncommon

Dune Lakes galaxias (Kai Iwi Lakes)

Not threatened

Southern flathead

*Upland bully (North Island, west South Island)

[Stella]

And here are the introduced fish:

Brown trout

Rainbow trout

Brook char

Mackinaw

Atlantic salmon

Chinook salmon

Sockeye salmon

Perch

Tench

Rudd

Orfe

Brown bullhead catfish

Goldfish

Koi carp

Guppy

Gambusia

Sailfin molly

Swordtail

Caudo

The first half of the list were introduced for angling or coarse fishing. The second half came in as aquarium fish.

[Stella]

I forgot to cite the paper:

Allibone, R.M.; David, B.O.; Hitchmough, R.; Jellyman, D.J.; Ling, N.; Ravenscroft, P. Waters, J.M. 2010: Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater fish, 2009. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research.

If you want a copy of the .pdf just email me.

[preacher]

Thanks Stella, nice to know how they compare

P.

[malevolentsparkle]

Sailfin molly

Swordtail

didn't know they were in the wild.

Gollum galaxias... Smeagol galaxi

LOtR theme going on eh?

[Stella]

Someone thought the little rounded face of one looked like gollum (you can guess when this species was discovered!). Then later they did genetic work and found that the 'gollums' in one area had been genetically isolated for long enough to consider it something different. Thus smeagol.

I do love it when people have fun with these names!

A recent favourite is mojoceratops 8)

Most of the guppy-type things have very restricted ranges, either way up north or in geothermal areas. However the gambusia (mosquitofish/plague guppy/damnbusia) is not restricted like that and is spreading far too well. I know it is as far south as Manawatu, not sure how much further.

[oscnz]

I would love top get my hands on a bullhead catfish

[Stella]

unless you want to kill it, very very illegal.

To quote R.M. McDowall (THE native fish guy) "was introduced in 1877 for reasons no one can really fathom."

[oscnz]

maybe it was just intoduced becouse the had nothing else to fish?

[preacher]

Given the level of technology in 1877 its an amazing feat they were able to keep them alive for so long transporting them.

I can't imagine those poor fish had any filtration, pumps, temperature compensation... Just stuck in some sort of water proof (you would hope!) container for weeks on end....

P.

[Stella]

I don't know how they got these things out, but certainly for trout they brought them out as eggs, bypassing the shipping problems and leaving all their diseases behind.

Though for these fish they probably could have chucked them in a sack and stored them in the hold. They seem rather difficult to kill from what I hear.

[supasi]

I don't know how they got these things out, but certainly for trout they brought them out as eggs, bypassing the shipping problems and leaving all their diseases behind.

Though for these fish they probably could have chucked them in a sack and stored them in the hold. They seem rather difficult to kill from what I hear.

Which is probably why they were introduced. Only fish that survived the trip. LOL They probably tried to bring alsorts of stuff from Europe only to loose it on the way.