Aelian,
De natura animalium 15.11, distinguishes a (small)
gale/a (with contracted spelling
galh=) from the larger and more frequently attested
galeo/s (usually identified as 'dog-fish' or small shark; cf.
Aristotle,
History of Animals 489b6). In addition to 'small',
Aelian characterizes it as 'short... it blinks its eyes... has pupils similar to the color of blue enamel... a barbel ... it lives in the rocks and grazes on seaweed, and eats the eyes out of anything it finds dead'. It is unclear whether the lexicographer believes the two words refer to the same fish.
Apart from
Aelian and the Suda, the
galea/galê is attested only rarely as a type of fish (e.g. Matron,
Athenian Dinner-party 81). More frequently it refers to a 'weasel' or other small mammal (see
gamma 25,
gamma 29) or, in late Greek, to an oared ship (=
galai/a, 'galley').