Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Belonesox: Greek, belone = needle; any fish with sharp pointed snout + Esox, the old name for pike (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Kner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 9 - 19; non-migratory. Tropical; 25°C - 37°C (Ref. 36880); 29°N - 11°N, 100°W - 79°W (Ref. 55262)
North and Central America: Laguna San Julian, northeast of Ciudad Veracruz in Mexico to Costa Rica. Southern Gulf of Mexico, southern Yucatan and along Central American coast south to Nicaragua (Ref. 26938). Introduced in freshwater in Florida (Ref. 26938).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 50894); 15.0 cm TL (female); common length : 9.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)
Slender, elongate fish with elongate jaws forming a prominent pointed beak. Scales very small and numerous (Ref. 26938).
Occurs in weedy canals and tolerates poorly oxygenated waters and salinity to 40 ppt. Occurrence in saline (34-37 ppt.) water in Florida seems to be a case of local acclimatization. Formerly used in medical research. Total length 14 cm (Ref. 26938). Mostly freshwater, sometimes brackish (Ref. 26938). Piscivore (Ref. 79012).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Produces up to 100 eggs.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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