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Teleostei (teleosts) > Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) > Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Xiphophorus: Greek, xiphos = sword + Greek, pherein = to carry (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Meek.

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

Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.0 - 8.0; dH range: 9 - 19; non-migratory. Subtropical; 15°C - 25°C (Ref. 1672); 25°N - 20°N

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

North America: endemic to Mexico from southern Tamaulipas to northern Veracruz. At least one country reports adverse ecological impact after introduction.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 3.9 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)

Occurs in warm springs, weedy canals and ditches (Ref. 5723). Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter (Ref. 7020). Used for genetic research (Ref. 4537). Aquarium keeping: minimum aquarium size 60 cm (Ref. 51539).

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

After 24 days gestation, up to 100 young are born.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Rodriguez, C.M., 1997. Phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Poeciliini (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae). Copeia 1997(4):663-679. (Ref. 26855)

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

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 28 March 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Potential pest (Ref. 13686)

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Trophic ecology
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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=0.01023 (0.00454 - 0.02306), b=3.14 (2.95 - 3.33), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.8 ±0.27 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm<1; multiple spawning per year; Fec=100).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Xiphophorus variatus (Meek, 1904)