| Family: |
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids), subfamily: Poeciliinae |
| Max. size: |
20 cm TL (male/unsexed); 15 cm TL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; brackish; pH range: 6 - 8; dH range: 9 - 19, non-migratory |
| Distribution: |
North and Central America: Laguna San Julian, northeast of Ciudad Veracruz in Mexico to Costa Rica. Southern Gulf of Mexico, southern Yucatan and along Central American coast south to Nicaragua (Ref. 26938). Introduced in freshwater in Florida (Ref. 26938). |
| Diagnosis: |
Slender, elongate fish with elongate jaws forming a prominent pointed beak. Scales very small and numerous (Ref. 26938). |
| Biology: |
Occurs in weedy canals and tolerates poorly oxygenated waters and salinity to 40 ppt. Occurrence in saline (34-37 ppt.) water in Florida seems to be a case of local acclimatization. Formerly used in medical research. Total length 14 cm (Ref. 26938). Mostly freshwater, sometimes brackish (Ref. 26938). Piscivore (Ref. 79012). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 28 March 2018 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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