Genus
Galaxias is restricted to the Southern Hemisphere and the Cape galaxias is unique because it is the only species of the genus found in the
African continent. It is
endemic to the
Western Cape region in South Africa and the first specimen caught by scientists was captured in the
Cape Flats area in 1861. For a long time it was believed that the distribution of this fish species was restricted to the
Western Cape, within an area ranging between the
Keurbooms River and the
Olifants River. However, since 1995 it has been also found in the
Krom River as well as in the
Gamtoos River system of the
Eastern Cape. Some of the taxa in the complex are found in clear mountain streams with low dissolved mineral levels but others seem to prefer lowland streams that can be turbid and have high levels of dissolved minerals. ==References==