Zoogoneticus tequila

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Tequila splitfin
male above, female below
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Goodeidae
Genus: Zoogoneticus
Species:
Z. tequila
Binomial name
Zoogoneticus tequila
Webb & Miller, 1998[2]

Zoogoneticus tequila, Tequila splitfin or simply Tequila fish, is a species of goodeid fish (family Goodeidae) from Mexico.[3][4][5] The specific epithet, tequila, derives from the Tequila Volcano, which looms near the type locality.[2]

Distribution and conservation[edit]

Zoogoneticus tequila is endemic to the Ameca River basin in west-central Mexico. Its current distribution is restricted to a single spring pool in Teuchitlán, only 4 metres (13 ft) in diameter, where a population consisting of less than 50 adult fish live.[6] Even in this habitat, it is outnumbered by introduced guppies by a factor of six.[7] Before the discovery of the pool population in 2000/2001, Zoogoneticus tequila was generally thought to inhabit rivers; however, no fish could be found in the original habitat and the species was considered extinct in the wild.[1] Introduced fish species have been implicated in the disappearance of Zoogoneticus tequila from its type locality.[1][6] Habitat deterioration may also have contributed. Pollution and water extraction are threats to the pool where the wild population persists. Captive populations are maintained by aquarists.[1]

Description[edit]

Along with other Mexican goodeids, Zoogoneticus tequila are viviparous; this led the genus to be originally included in family Poeciliidae.[2] Clutch size is up to 29 young.[1] Males are smaller than females, with standard length up to 4.1 cm (1.6 in) in males and up to 5.8 cm (2.3 in) in females.[2] Total length can reach 7 cm (2.8 in) in females.[3] The sexes can also be distinguished by colouration.[2] Adult males have cream-colored terminal bands on the anal and dorsal fin.[8] The caudal fin of adult males has crescent-shaped band of red-orange, orange, or yellow. The rest of the caudal fin is not pigmented and is transparent. Some large adult females share this caudal coloration but generally their caudal fins are transparent. Both sexes display olive shaded, mottled bodies with males typically darker than the families. Juveniles are lighter colored with more obvious mottling.[8]

Diet[edit]

These fish typically eat various types of zooplankton and insect larvae in the water such as those of chironomids.[9] There have also been recorded instances of cannibalism of the immature young.[10]

Predation[edit]

Typical predators endemic in the geographic range are Esox sp. and Thamnophis sp.[10] There are also many introduced species in the area that likely prey on or outcompeted Z. tequila such as Xiphophorus maculatus, Tilapia aurea, Lepomis macrochirus, Cyprinus carpio, X. helleri and Poecilia reticulata.[2]

Conservation status[edit]

After a few successful reintroductions of Z. tequila in the wild became established, the International Union for Conservation of Nature gave the species the status of endangered. However, it is still considered by many to be extinct in the wild.[11] DNA analysis of natural populations of Z. tequila have shown that because the populations are extremely small there is a large amount of inbreeding which could be contributing to the precipitous decline in populations in the wild.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Koeck, M. (2019). "Zoogoneticus tequila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T169395A1276460. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T169395A1276460.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Webb, S. A.; Miller, R. R. (1998). "Zoogoneticus tequila, a new goodeid fish (Cyprinodontiformes) from the Ameca drainage of Mexico, and a rediagnosis of the genus" (PDF). Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. 725: 1–23.
  3. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Zoogoneticus tequila" in FishBase. January 2016 version.
  4. ^ Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R.; van der Laan, R., eds. (2 May 2016). "Catalog of Fishes". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Zoogoneticus tequila". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  6. ^ a b De La Vega-Salazar, M. Y.; Avila-Luna, E. G.; Macías-Garcia, C. (2003). "Threatened Fishes of the World: Zoogoneticus tequila Webb & Miller 1998 (Goodeidae)". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 68: 14. doi:10.1023/A:1026040727808. S2CID 40034156.
  7. ^ De La Vega-Salazar, M. Y.; Avila-Luna, E.; Macías-Garcia, C. (2003). "Ecological evaluation of local extinction: the case of two genera of endemic Mexican fish, Zoogoneticus and Skiffa". Biodiversity and Conservation. 12 (10): 2043–2056. doi:10.1023/A:1024155731112. S2CID 22965812.
  8. ^ a b Webb, Shane A. (1998). Zoogoneticus tequila, a new goodeid fish (Cyprinodontiformes) from the Ameca drainage of Mexico and a rediagnosis of the genus. Museum of Zoology, Univ. of Michigan. OCLC 246180758.
  9. ^ Escalera-Vázquez, Luis H.; Domínguez-Domínguez, Omar; Hinojosa-Garro, Demián; Zambrano, Luis (2016-10-01). "Changes in diet, growth and survivorship of the native Tequila Splitfin Zoogoneticus tequila in co-occurrence with the non-native Shortfin Molly Poecilia mexicana". Fundamental and Applied Limnology. 188 (4): 341–351. doi:10.1127/fal/2016/0932.
  10. ^ a b Lucidi, Alessio Arbuatti Roberto Trentini Nicola Bernabò Pia (2011). Contribution to the biology of the endangered Mexican fish, Zoogoneticus tequila, and suggestions for its indoor management. Bioflux. OCLC 860213559.
  11. ^ Lyons, John; Piller, Kyle R.; Artigas-Azas, Juan Miguel; Dominguez-Dominguez, Omar; Gesundheit, Pablo; Köck, Michael; Medina-Nava, Martina; Mercado-Silva, Norman; García, Arely Ramírez; Findley, Kearstin M. (2019-04-11). "Distribution and current conservation status of the Mexican Goodeidae (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontiformes)". ZooKeys (885): 115–158. doi:10.3897/zookeys.885.38152. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 6848252. PMID 31736620.
  12. ^ Bailey, N. W.; Macías Garcia, C.; Ritchie, M. G. (June 2007). "Beyond the point of no return? A comparison of genetic diversity in captive and wild populations of two nearly extinct species of Goodeid fish reveals that one is inbred in the wild". Heredity. 98 (6): 360–367. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800947. ISSN 1365-2540. PMID 17327873. S2CID 654901.

External links[edit]

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