Morphological variation in diadromous and landlocked populations of the spotted galaxias, Galaxias truttaceus, in Tasmania, south-eastern Australia

Abstract

A comparison of a suite of morphometric measurements and meristic counts of individuals of two landlocked lacustrine and two diadromous riverine populations of Galaxias truttaceus was carried out utilising both univariate and canonical variate analyses. Lacustrine fish had fewer dorsal and anal fin rays than did riverine fish. Differences were not as clear for gill rakers and vertebrae. Comparisons of serial counts were made with two derived lacustrine species, G. auratus and G. tanycephalus, also from Tasmania. Lacustrine G. truttaceus varied in the same direction as the derived species, relative to riverine G. truttaceus. From an analysis of 12 body measurements, the first canonical variate clearly separated lacustrine fish from riverine fish largely based on measurements associated with fins (pre-anal fin length, length of anal base, pre-dorsal fin length, maximum length of dorsal fin and inter-orbital width). An overall value for the correct classification of fish into groups based on locality was 84%. The percentage of fish classified into the wrong habitat (lake or stream) was much less than the percentage classified between localities within habitats. Overall morphological variation was greater between than within habitats. It is suggested that the differences in water movement and food type may in part account for the differences shown and that selective pressures peculiar to the lacustrine environment may be causing the lake populations to diverge from the riverine populations.