Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Shortjaw kōkopu (Galaxias postvectis), recorded as Endangered
Shortjaw kōkopu (Galaxias postvectis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Shortjaw kōkopu

Galaxias postvectis

The shortjaw kōkopu is a galaxiid ray-finned fish, endemic to New Zealand.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Galaxias postvectis
Recorded from
New Zealand
Taxonomy
Osmeriformes · Galaxiidae · Galaxias

The galaxiid

Shortjaw kōkopu is a galaxiid in the family Galaxiidae (order Osmeriformes) — Galaxias postvectis.

Range and habitat

The shortjaw kōkopu is a galaxiid ray-finned fish, endemic to New Zealand. The shortjaw kōkopu live in microhabitats that have more large particles at the bed of the body of water (substrates) and more places to seek safety compared to all nearby possible habitats.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

During the night, they remain in calmer areas like pools, whereas during the day shortjaw kōkopu spend their time in places with large substrates and a more tumultuous water surface, staying in both flow channel and pool habits. In 2023 a newly recorded population of this species was detected in the Kopuawhara catchment north of Māhia Peninsula in Hawkes Bay using environmental DNA.

Shortjaw kōkopu is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Shortjaw kōkopu, Wikidata item Q44154. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Eldon's galaxias (Galaxias eldoni), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Eldon's galaxias

Galaxias eldoni
Photograph of Roundhead galaxias (Galaxias anomalus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Roundhead galaxias

Galaxias anomalus
Photograph of Lowland longjaw galaxias (Galaxias cobitinis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Lowland longjaw galaxias

Galaxias cobitinis
Photograph of Bignose galaxias (Galaxias macronasus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Bignose galaxias

Galaxias macronasus

Quick answers

What is Shortjaw kōkopu?
The shortjaw kōkopu is a galaxiid ray-finned fish, endemic to New Zealand.
What is the conservation status of Shortjaw kōkopu?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Galaxias postvectis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Shortjaw kōkopu live?
The shortjaw kōkopu is a galaxiid ray-finned fish, endemic to New Zealand.
Why is Shortjaw kōkopu in crisis?
During the night, they remain in calmer areas like pools, whereas during the day shortjaw kōkopu spend their time in places with large substrates and a more tumultuous water surface, staying in both flow channel and pool habits.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Galaxias postvectis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Shortjaw kōkopu a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.