Story: Freshwater fish

Gollum galaxias

Gollum galaxias

The galaxiid species Galaxias gollumoides was only discovered in the 1990s. Originally it was thought to be limited to Stewart Island, where it inhabits boggy swamps and streams. It has now been found in Southland, and in the Catlins and the Nevis River in Otago. The fish are named after Gollum, a bug-eyed character in J. R. R. Tolkien's books The hobbit and The lord of the rings, as they were first found in a swamp and have eyes similar to Gollum’s.

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Photograph by Richard Allibone

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How to cite this page:

Bob McDowall, 'Freshwater fish - Galaxiids: īnanga and kōkopu', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/11109/gollum-galaxias (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Bob McDowall, published 24 Sep 2007