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Teleostei (teleosts) > Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) > Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Poecilia: Greek, poikilos = with a lot of colours (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Bloch & Schneider.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.0 - 8.2; dH range: 10 - 40; non-migratory. Tropical; 26°C - 28°C (Ref. 2060)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

America: between Suriname and Brazil (not the Atlantic area South of the Laguna dos Patos basin in Brazil); introduced to the Caribbean.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 111953); common length : 3.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26728); max. published weight: 6.48 g (Ref. 111953)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6 - 8; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 7 - 9.

Widespread in mildly brackish water in canals and drainage ditches at the edges of swamps, but rarely found in freshwater. Feeds on mosquito larvae and has at times been used for control in ponds and reservoirs (Ref. 35237).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Males are very active and also approach the females of other Poecilinae. [Females produce 6 - 10 offspring which follow their mother for a few hours after birth, referring to Ref. 35237.] After 28 days gestation, female gives birth to 100 young or more. Sexual maturity is reached after 3-4 months (Ref. 2060).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Kenny, J.S., 1995. Views from the bridge: a memoir on the freshwater fishes of Trinidad. Julian S. Kenny, Maracas, St. Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago. 98 p. (Ref. 11225)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 09 November 2020

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01349 (0.00984 - 0.01849), b=3.18 (3.12 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.3 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.

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).

Poecilia vivipara Bloch & Schneider, 1801