Xiphophorus
Encyclopedia
Xiphophorus is a genus
of euryhaline
and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae
of order
Cyprinodontiformes
. The many Xiphophorus species are all called either platyfish (or platies) or swordtails. The type species
is X. hellerii, the Green swordtail
. Platyfish and swordtails are Live-bearers
, meaning that they reproduce via internal fertilization. Three species and their hybrids are common in the aquarium trade: the Green swordtail
, the Southern platyfish
(X. maculatus) and the Variable platyfish
(X. variatus).
The various Xiphophorus species are native to areas of Belize
, Guatemala
, Honduras
, and especially Mexico
. All small fishes, they reach maximum lengths of 2.5–14 cm (1.0–5.5 in).
IUCN lists two Xiphophorus species, the Marbled swordtail (X. meyeri) and the Northern platyfish (X. gordoni), as Endangered, while the Monterrey platyfish
(X. couchianus) is listed as Critically Endangered.
studies and scientists have developed many interspecific hybrids. The Xiphophorus Genetic stock center
, founded by Dr Myron Gordon in 1939 is an important source of these fish for research.
and guppy
, that adapt to almost any water conditions, from cold to tropical, freshwater to fully marine. Unlike many species, these are available almost completely as captive-raised, because of the ease with which they breed.
The name Xiphophorus derives from the Greek
words ξίφος (sword) and φόρος (bearer).
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lists 28 valid species:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of euryhaline
Euryhaline
Euryhaline organisms are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities. An example of a euryhaline fish is the molly which can live in fresh, brackish, or salt water. The European shore crab is an example of a euryhaline invertebrate that can live in salt and brackish water...
and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae
Poeciliidae
Poeciliidae is a family of fresh-water fish which are live-bearing aquarium fish . They belong to the order Cyprinodontiformes, tooth-carps, and include well-known aquarium fish such as the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail...
of order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Cyprinodontiformes
Cyprinodontiformes
The Cyprinodontiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising mostly small, fresh-water fish. Many popular aquarium fish, such as killifish and live-bearers, are included. They are closely related to the Atheriniformes and are occasionally included with them...
. The many Xiphophorus species are all called either platyfish (or platies) or swordtails. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is X. hellerii, the Green swordtail
Green swordtail
The green swordtail is a species of freshwater fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or "platy" and can crossbreed with it...
. Platyfish and swordtails are Live-bearers
Live-bearing aquarium fish
Live-bearing aquarium fish, often simply called livebearers, are fish that retain the eggs inside the body and give birth to live, free-swimming young.-Common aquarium livebearers:...
, meaning that they reproduce via internal fertilization. Three species and their hybrids are common in the aquarium trade: the Green swordtail
Green swordtail
The green swordtail is a species of freshwater fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or "platy" and can crossbreed with it...
, the Southern platyfish
Southern platyfish
The southern platyfish, common platy or moonfish is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the green swordtail and can interbreed with it...
(X. maculatus) and the Variable platyfish
Variable platyfish
The variatus platy , also known as variable platyfish or variegated platy, is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to southern Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz states in northeastern Mexico...
(X. variatus).
The various Xiphophorus species are native to areas of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, and especially Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. All small fishes, they reach maximum lengths of 2.5–14 cm (1.0–5.5 in).
IUCN lists two Xiphophorus species, the Marbled swordtail (X. meyeri) and the Northern platyfish (X. gordoni), as Endangered, while the Monterrey platyfish
Monterrey platyfish
The Monterrey platyfish is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to the vicinity of Monterrey, Mexico....
(X. couchianus) is listed as Critically Endangered.
Human Uses
Xiphophorus species are regularly used in geneticGenetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
studies and scientists have developed many interspecific hybrids. The Xiphophorus Genetic stock center
Genetic stock center
Genetic stock centers are collections of pure genetic stock available for use in research. They are often housed at research universities, and include everything from single cell life to plants, fish, and small mammals such as mice and rats...
, founded by Dr Myron Gordon in 1939 is an important source of these fish for research.
Aquaculture
In addition, several species are commonly kept by aquarium hobbyists, especially X. helleri, X. maculatus and X. variatus. In fact, these are a key category in fishkeeping, a group of extremely hardy livebearing fish, along with the mollyMolly
"Molly" may refer to:* Molly , a female given name* Mollies or Poecilia, a family of fish* Molly Smitten-Downes, singer/songwriter of pop/dance/folk* Molly , a Swedish band mixing ska and Irish folk music...
and guppy
Guppy
The guppy , also known as the millionfish, is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. It is a small member of the Poeciliidae family [females long, males long] and like all other members of the family, is live-bearing....
, that adapt to almost any water conditions, from cold to tropical, freshwater to fully marine. Unlike many species, these are available almost completely as captive-raised, because of the ease with which they breed.
The name Xiphophorus derives from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words ξίφος (sword) and φόρος (bearer).
Species
FishBaseFishBase
FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
lists 28 valid species:
- Chiapas swordtailChiapas swordtailThe Chiapas Swordtail or Xiphophorus alvarezi is a livebearing freshwater fish of the Order Cyprinodontiformes, family Poeciliidae, and genus Xiphophorus. It is, therefore, in the same genus as the Common Platyfish and the Swordtail. Xiphophorus means sword-tail in Greek. The Chiapas swordtail was...
, Xiphophorus alvarezi Rosen, 1960. - Spiketail platyfish, Xiphophorus andersi Meyer & Schartl, 1980.
- Sheepshead swordtail, Xiphophorus birchmanni Lechner & Radda, 1987.
- Yellow swordtail, Xiphophorus clemenciae Alvarez, 1959.
- Short-sword platyfish, Xiphophorus continens Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990.
- Delicate swordtail, Xiphophorus cortezi Rosen, 1960.
- Monterrey platyfishMonterrey platyfishThe Monterrey platyfish is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to the vicinity of Monterrey, Mexico....
, Xiphophorus couchianus (GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1859). - Puebla platyfish, Xiphophorus evelynae Rosen, 1960.
- Northern platyfish, Xiphophorus gordoni Miller & Minckley, 1963.
- Green swordtailGreen swordtailThe green swordtail is a species of freshwater fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or "platy" and can crossbreed with it...
, Xiphophorus hellerii Heckel, 1848. - Xiphophorus kallmani Meyer & Schartl, 2003.
- Xiphophorus kosszanderi Meyer & Wischnath, 1981.
- Southern platyfishSouthern platyfishThe southern platyfish, common platy or moonfish is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the green swordtail and can interbreed with it...
, Xiphophorus maculatus (Günther, 1866). - Highland swordtail, Xiphophorus malinche Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990.
- Xiphophorus mayae Meyer & Schartl, 2002.
- Marbled swordtail, Xiphophorus meyeri Schartl & Schröder, 1988.
- Catemaco platyfish, Xiphophorus milleri Rosen, 1960.
- Mixe swordtail, Xiphophorus mixei Kallman, Walter, Morizot & Kazianis, 2004.
- Montezuma swordtail, Xiphophorus montezumae JordanDavid Starr JordanDavid Starr Jordan, Ph.D., LL.D. was a leading eugenicist, ichthyologist, educator and peace activist. He was president of Indiana University and Stanford University.-Early life and education:...
& Snyder, 1899. - Xiphophorus monticolus Kallman, Walter, Morizot & Kazianis, 2004.
- Xiphophorus multilineatus Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990.
- Mountain swordtail, Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990.
- Panuco swordtail, Xiphophorus nigrensis Rosen, 1960.
- Pygmy swordtail, Xiphophorus pygmaeus Hubbs & Gordon, 1943.
- Xiphophorus roseni Meyer & Wischnath, 1981.
- Xiphophorus signum Rosen & Kallman, 1969.
- Variable platyfishVariable platyfishThe variatus platy , also known as variable platyfish or variegated platy, is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to southern Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz states in northeastern Mexico...
, Xiphophorus variatus (MeekSeth Eugene MeekSeth Eugene Meek was an American ichthyologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He was the first compiler of a book on Mexican freshwater fishes. Together with his assistant, Samuel F. Hildebrand, he produced the first book on the freshwater fishes of Panama.He often collaborated...
, 1904). - Swordtail platyfish, Xiphophorus xiphidium (Gordon, 1932).
External links
- xiphophorus.org
- xiphophorus.net(Chinese ver.)