Chiapas swordtail

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Chiapas swordtail
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Genus: Xiphophorus
Species:
X. alvarezi
Binomial name
Xiphophorus alvarezi

The Chiapas swordtail or upland swordtail (Xiphophorus alvarezi) is a species of livebearing freshwater fish of family Poeciliidae, and genus Xiphophorus . It is, therefore, in the same genus as the common platy and the swordtail. The Chiapas swordtail was discovered and first described by Donn E. Rosen in 1960, along with four other species of Xiphophorus.

Contents

Description

Male Chipas swordtails attain up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in length. They have an overall body colour of orange market with pearlescent white spots and with green. The lower part of the caudal fin extends into a long "sword" which is bright green edged with black. The females are drabber, however, they may also have some orange markings on their sides. Females are smaller than males and reach a maximum length of 8.9 centimetres (3.5 in). [2]

Distribution

The Chiapas swordtail is restricted to eastern Chiapas in Mexico and adjacent parts of Guatemala. [3]

Habitat and biology

The Chiapas swordtail is found in rivers with fast flows. [4] Their preferred habitat is shallow, clear pools which have a moderate current where there are rocks covered with algae. [1] They graze algae off the rocks. [2] They are ovoviviparous and females can give birth to 20-801 young after a gestation period of 24-30 days. [4]

Species description and etymology

The Chiaps swordtail was described as Xiphophorus helleri alvarezi by Donn E. Rosen in 1960 with the type locality given as Río Santo Domingo, a tributary of the Río Jatate of the Río Usumacinta system in Chiapas. [5] This fish's specific name honours the Mexican ichthyologist José Álvarez del Villar (1903-1986) who showed this species to Rosen. [6]

Aquarium

Ideal, suitable conditions for Chiapas swordtails include a water temperature of around 25–28 °C. These are benthopelagic fish. Water pH should range from 7.2 to 8.1. They are quite resilient fish. They are often found in fast-flowing rivers. In nature, schools of more females than males are common, and enjoy dense aquatic foliage to give birth in. They reproduce quickly and prefer live foods and aquatic plants.

Related Research Articles

Southern platyfish Species of fish

The southern platyfish, common platy, or moonfish is a species of freshwater fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the green swordtail and can interbreed with it. It is native to an area of North and Central America stretching from Veracruz, Mexico, to northern Belize.

<i>Xiphophorus</i> Genus of fishes

Xiphophorus is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes, native to Mexico and northern Central America. The many Xiphophorus species are all called either platyfish or swordtails. The type species is X. hellerii, the green swordtail. Like most other new world Poeciliids, platies and swordtails are live-bearers that use internal fertilization and give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like the bulk of the world's fishes. The name Xiphophorus derives from the Greek words ξίφος (dagger) and φόρος (bearer), referring to the gonopodium on the males. All are relatively small fishes, which reach a maximum length of 3.5–16 cm (1.4–6.3 in) depending on the exact species involved.

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<i>Chilochromis</i> Genus of fishes

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The yellow swordtail is a species of freshwater fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the upper Coatzacoalcos River basin in southern Mexico. It is typically found in brooks and streams with slow current; it is less frequent in areas with strong current. The yellow swordtail is considered a threatened species by Mexican authorities. It reaches up to 5.1 cm (2.0 in) in standard length.

The northern platyfish is a species of fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to Mexico. It was named in honor of Myron Gordon by Robert Rush Miller and W. L. Minckley who discovered it with Carl Hubbs on a 1961 expedition.

Marbled swordtail Species of fish

The marbled swordtail is a species of freshwater fish in the family Poeciliidae. It was endemic to the Rio Salado system in northeastern Mexico.

<i>Chromidotilapia guntheri</i> Species of fish

Chromidotilapia guntheri, or Günther's mouthbrooder, is a cichlid from Africa. It was previously considered to consist of two subspecies, the common C. g. guntheri ranges from Liberia to Equatorial Guinea and Niger, and the critically endangered C. g. loennbergi which was thought to be restricted to Lake Barombi-ba-Kotto, a small crater lake in Cameroon but these subspecies are not supported by subsequent authorities. The species is noted for being a biparental mouthbrooder. Eggs are laid on a flat open surface and taken in the parents' mouth. Unlike many mouthbrooding cichlid species, both parents participate in the mouthbrooding.

<i>Centropyge tibicen</i> Species of fish

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Green swordtail Species of fish

The green swordtail is a species of freshwater/brackish 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. It is native to an area of North and Central America stretching from Veracruz, Mexico, to northwestern Honduras.

Xiphophorus nigrensis, the Panuco swordtail, is a species of fish in the family Poeciliidae that is endemic to a small part of the Pánuco River basin in Mexico.

Xiphophorus mayae is a fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is found in Central America: eastern Guatemala and western Honduras. This species has red lines on its body which extend on to the upper portion of the caudal fin, males have the lower part of the caudal fin extended into a "sword".

<i>Xiphophorus montezumae</i> Species of fish

Xiphophorus montezumae, the Montezuma swordtail, is a livebearing freshwater fish of the order Cyprinodontiformes, family Poeciliidae, and genus Xiphophorus. It is in the same genus as the common platy and the swordtail. Xiphophorus means 'sword-tail' in Greek.

Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl, the mountain swordtail, is a live bearing fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the northwestern Pánuco River basin in Mexico. The specific name of this fish refers to the poet, philosopher and emperor of Texcoco, Nezahualcoyotl (1402-1472).

Xiphophorus birchmanni, commonly known as the sheepheadswordtail, is a live bearing fish in the family Poeciliidae.

Xiphophorus continens, also known as El Quince swordtail or short-sword platyfish, is a live-bearing freshwater fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the Pánuco River basin in east-central Mexico. Its name comes from the Greek conto, meaning short, and Latin ensis, meanin "sword". due to the species' sword size in males.

Xiphophorus malinche, also known as highland swordtail, is a live bearing fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the Pánuco River basin in east-central Mexico. This species is named after La Malinche, an Indian slave who played a role in the Spanish conquest as the interpreter, secretary, and mistress of Hernando Cortes.

<i>Hemichromis letourneuxi</i> Species of fish

Hemichromis letourneuxi is a species of cichlid which is native to West Africa and is popular in the aquarium hobby and it has been introduced to the Caribbean and the south-east United States where it is invasive.

References

  1. 1 2 Palmer-Newton, A. (2019). "Xiphophorus alvarezi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T191774A2002869. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T191774A2002869.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Xiphophorus alvarezi". Chicago Libenearer Society. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  3. ↑ Kang, J.H.; M. Schartl; R.B. Walter; A. Meyer (2013). "Comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of all species of swordtails and platies (Pisces: Genus Xiphophorus) uncovers a hybrid origin of a swordtail fish, Xiphophorus monticolus, and demonstrates that the sexually selected sword originated in the ancestral lineage of the genus, but was lost again secondarily". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13 (25): 25. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-25. PMC   3585855 . PMID   23360326.
  4. 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Xiphophorus alvarezi" in FishBase . August 2019 version.
  5. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Xiphophorus helleri alvarezi". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (26 October 2019). "Order Cyprinodontiformes: Families Poecilidae, Analeptidae, Valenciidae, Aphaniidae and Procatopodidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
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