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Story: Freshwater fish

Fossil grayling

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Fossil grayling

The first fossil graylings were found in 2003 in the Ormond valley, 10 kilometres inland from Gisborne. They were in sediments deposited in a coastal lake about 620,000 years ago. Among the identifying features were the position of the fins, the number of vertebrae and the forked tail.

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GNS Science

Reference: B1356.59-03

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How to cite this page

Bob McDowall, Freshwater fish – Bullies, smelt and grayling, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11125/fossil-grayling (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bob McDowall, published 1 March 2009.