Giant kōkopu

Species of fish
Speciesbox
| image = Giant Kokopu. jpg
| image caption =
| status = VU
| status system = IUCN3.1
| status ref =
| status2 = GD
| status2 system = NZTCS
| status2 ref = It is a mainly lowland species, commonly found in slow flowing streams, wetlands, lakes, and lagoons.

The first species in the family Galaxiidae to be described by scientists, the giant kōkopu was initially placed in the genus Esox (pikes) by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. Cuvier recognised that it was not a pike and in 1816 coined the genus name Galaxias as a reference to its star like (galaxy) markings. Giant kōkopu are also known as "native trout" or "Māori trout". For many years the standard spelling was "kokopu", without the macron that indicates the first vowel is lengthened in Te Reo Māori, but the spelling "kōkopu" is increasingly frequently used for this New Zealand English loanword.

The giant kōkopu commonly grows to in total length. Young giant kokōpu may be confused with small banded kōkopu (Galaxias fasciatus), but giant kōkopu lack a silver mark behind the gills, and their markings never fork or fade out at the top and bottom. It occurs during autumn/winter and the eggs (first discovered in 2013) are placed among vegetation along the banks. The species has a relatively high fecundity, each female producing several thousand eggs. their rarity north of Auckland is probably related to temperature. The giant kōkopu has been rated as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN since 1996. The species is highly prized as a traditional food and is considered to have potential in aquaculture.