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Poecilia

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Poecilia
Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna)
Scientific classification
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Poecilia

Species

See text.

Poecilia is a genus of euryhaline brackish water fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes.[1] The type species is P. vivipara. Live-bearers, the Poecilia species are collectively known as mollies, with the exception of Endler's livebearer (P. wingei) and the famous guppy (P. reticulata). Members of this genus are members of the family Poecilidae, which includes the southern platyfish or "platy" (Xiphophorus maculatus), and the green swordtail (X. hellerii).

Aquaria

Along with their platy cousins, the mollies are part of a pivotal aquaculture group of livebearers, which can live in water from fresh to fully marine, and a wide range of other conditions. They feed on smaller insect,animals and vegetation.

IUCN list two of the species, the sulphur molly, P. sulphuraria, and the broadspotted molly, P. latipunctata, as Critically Endangered.

The generic name Poecilia derives from the Greek ποικίλος (variegated), in reference to the fishes' coloration. Mollies need to live in water that is 25-28°C.

Species

FishBase lists 33 species.[2] Recently one new species was added,[3] bringing the total to 34 species:

References

  1. ^ "Poecilia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. June 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ^ Poecilia FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
  3. ^ a b Manfred K. Meyer, Alfred C. Radda, Manfred Schartl, Klaus Schneider & Brigitta Wilde (2004). "A new species of Poecilia, subgenus Mollienesia, from upper río Cahabón system, Guatemala, with remarks on the Nomenclature of Mollienesia petenensis Günther, 1866 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae)" (PDF). Zoologische Abhandlungen. 54: 145–154. ISSN 0375-5231. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Fred N. Poeser, Michael Kempkes, Isaac J. H. Isbrücker (2005). "Description of Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) wingei n. sp. from the Paria Peninsula, Venezuela, including notes on Acanthophacelus Eigenmann, 1907 and other subgenera of Poecilia Bloch and Schneider, 1801 (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes, Poecilidae)" (PDF). Contributions to Zoology. 74: 97–115.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)