Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Poecilia: Greek, poikilos = with a lot of colours (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Girard.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; non-migratory. Subtropical; 27°N - 25°N
North America: lower Nueces River (where possibly introduced) and lower Rio Grande, extreme southern Texas, to Veracruz in Mexico. Introduced populations at San Antonio and San Marcos, Texas.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.6 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 5.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12. Similar to females of P. latipinna but lacks rows of brown spots on side (may have row of dusky black spots).
In backwaters and quiet pools of streams, sloughs, and ditches, usually over mud. This is an all-female species thought to have originated as a result of hybridization between P. latipinna and P. sphenops. Gynogenesis reproduction is triggered by copulation and stimulation by sperm from males of other species in the genus, either P. latipinna, P. mexicana, P. latipunctata, or rarely P. sphenops.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Reproduces gynogenetically (Refs. 8601, 8602, 8605, 5723, 125602), meaning once the sperm has penetrated the egg membrane, it takes no further part in the development of the embryo. Eggs develop following copulation and stimulation by sperm from males of other species in the genus, either P. latipinna, P. mexicana, P. latipunctata, or rarely P. sphenops. Viviparous (Ref. 8601), but there is no nutritional contribution by the mother during embryonic development to compensate for the depletion of stored reserves in the egg as embryos develop (Ref. 8606).
Meyer, M.K. and A.C. Radda, 2000. Notes on the subgenus Mollienesia Lesueur,1821, with a description of a new species of Poecilia Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) from Venezuela. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 102B:75-81. (Ref. 42987)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01318 (0.00564 - 0.03080), b=3.14 (2.96 - 3.32), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.5 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
