Following a brief outline of the systematic relationships of a number of species
comprising the Galaxias maculatus species complex, the morphology of the "landlocked
jollytail", a lacustrine galaxiid from Lake Modewarre (south-western
Victoria), is described and compared with that of the normally catadromous stream dwelling
species G. maculatus and a number of other closely related forms belonging
to this complex. The probable systematic status of the landlocked jollytail and its
relationship to the other forms included in the G. maculatus species complex are then
discussed in the light of both the above morphological evidence, and ecological and
behavioural evidence from a previous study of the life cycle and discussion of the
probable origin of this lacustrine form. The conclusion is drawn that the landlocked
jollytail should probably be regarded as no more than an isolated "ecological race"
of the normally catadromous stream-dwelling species, G. maculatus.