New Zealand Freshwater Fish

DSC_6140 Foulden Maar kokopu (Galaxias effusus) NZ's oldest known galaxiid. Type speciman of the 23 million year old fossil discovered by Associate Professor Daphne Lee, Otago University. These robust rear fins, must have been capable of producing a powerful thrust forward, suggest this extinct kokopu was probably an ambush predator. This ancient galaxiid may have only existed in Foulden's lake. Foulden Maar *

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DSC_6140 Foulden Maar kokopu (Galaxias effusus) NZ's oldest known galaxiid. Type speciman of the 23 million year old fossil discovered by Associate Professor Daphne Lee, Otago University. These robust rear fins, must have been capable of producing a powerful thrust forward, suggest this extinct kokopu was probably an ambush predator. This ancient galaxiid may have only existed in Foulden's lake. Foulden Maar *

DSC 6140 kōkopu Galaxias extinct native galaxiid fish rear fins type speciman fossil Foulden Maar kokopu effusus diatomite 23 million year old archive ancient biodiversity preserved