Poecilia

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Poecilia
Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cyprinodontiformes Family: Poeciliidae Genus: Poecilia Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Species
See text.

Poecilia is a genus of freshwater 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 the famous guppy (P. reticulata). Member of this genus are members of the family Poecilidae which includes the southern platyfish or "platy" (X. maculatus), and the green swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii).

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.

[edit] Species

FishBase lists the following 32 species,^[2] to which P. wingei has been added:

• Poecilia amazonica Garman, 1895.
• Poecilia boesemani Poeser, 2003.
• Pacific molly, Poecilia butleri Jordan, 1889.
• Catemaco molly, Poecilia catemaconis Miller, 1975.
• Poecilia caucana (Steindachner, 1880).
• Poecilia caudofasciata (Regan, 1913).
• Dwarf molly, Poecilia chica Miller, 1975.
• Poecilia dauli Meyer & Radda, 2000.
• Elegant molly, Poecilia elegans (Trewavas, 1948).
• Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa (Girard, 1859).
• Poecilia gillii (Kner, 1863).
• Hispaniola molly, Poecilia hispaniolana Rivas, 1978.
• Poecilia koperi Poeser, 2003.
• Poecilia kykesis Poeser, 2002.
• Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna (Lesueur, 1821).
• Broadspotted molly, Poecilia latipunctata Meek, 1904.
• Poecilia marcellinoi Poeser, 1995.
• Balsas molly, Poecilia maylandi Meyer, 1983.
• Poecilia mechthildae Meyer, Etzel & Bork, 2002.
• Shortfin molly, Poecilia mexicana Steindachner, 1863.
• Poecilia nicholsi (Myers, 1931).
• Mangrove molly, Poecilia orri Fowler, 1943.
• Peten molly, Poecilia petenensis Günther, 1866.
• Guppy, Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859.
• Poecilia salvatoris Regan, 1907.
• Molly, Poecilia sphenops Valenciennes, 1846.
• Sulphur molly, Poecilia sulphuraria (Alvarez, 1948).
• Mountain molly, Poecilia teresae Greenfield, 1990.
• Poecilia vandepolli Van Lidth de Jeude, 1887.
• Sail-fin molly, Poecilia velifera (Regan, 1914).
• Poecilia vivipara Bloch & Schneider, 1801.
• Poecilia wandae Poeser, 2003.
• Endler's livebearer, Poecilia wingei Poeser, Kempkes & Isbrücker, 2005.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Poecilia (TSN 165897). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on June 8, 2006.
2. ^ "Poecilia". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
3. ^ 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)". Contributions to Zoology 74: 97–115.

• The Aquarium Wiki - Poecilla profiles