Listed as ' Vulnerable' under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.

Listed as 'Vulnerable' under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

This species is totally protected and may not be taken without a permit.

A stout bodied, moderately sized species with a long head tapering to a long, slender snout. The mouth is large and reaches back to about the eyes; jaws equal. Fins are well developed and rather thick and fleshy at the base. The tail is distinctly forked

Green-olive on back with saddle-like greyish bars across the back and sides; the belly is silvery olive. It can sometimes be spotted rather than barred, and sides sometimes have a purplish sheen. Fins are olive to amber without black fringes

Reaches 147 mm, but few are more than about 70 mm in length

The saddled galaxias occurs only in Arthurs and Woods lakes in high elevation central Tasmania, and is more abundant in Woods Lake than Arthurs Lake. Woods lake has a large amount of phytoplankton and zooplankton that could support large populations of planktivorous larvae and predation by trout may be reduced by the turbid water. In contrast, Arthurs lake is very clear with little plankton present, which probably allows greater predation and provides less food for the larvae

The life cycle is confined to freshwater. Very small larvae can be collected from Woods Lake all year round, suggesting an extended spawning season with a summer peak. Although the species can grow quite large, few large specimens are found and most individuals appear to be less than two years old

Can be found among boulders and aquatic plants around the margins of the lakes. Larval stages live in the open water

The diet consists largely of crustaceans (both planktonic and benthic) plus some aquatic insects in adults. Larvae eat planktonic species

Predation by brown trout (Salmo trutta); nutrient enrichment of Woods Lake; changing water levels in the lakes due to hydro and irrigation use