Cuban gambusia

Last updated

Cuban gambusia
FMIB 47163 Gambusia punctata, from Cuba.jpeg
Male at top, female below
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Genus: Gambusia
Species:
G. punctata
Binomial name
Gambusia punctata
Poey, 1854

The Cuban gambusia, spotted gambusia or blue gambusia (Gambusia punctata) [2] is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes, and is the type species of its genus. [3] It is native to Cuba, inhabiting lakes, ponds and streams, including mountain streams. A carnivorous surface feeder, it occurs in shoals near the shoreline. It be found in estuarine habitat. [1] [4]

This species has the terminal, upward-facing mouth typical of surface feeders, and a protruding belly. It has four or five rows of darkly spotted scales, possibly forming a dark lateral stripe in the case of the midline row. The dorsal and caudal fins are typically partially spotted. [4] Males reach a maximum standard length (SL) of around 4.8 cm, with females reaching about 7.0 cm. [5] Record SL for this species is 10 cm. [1]

Gambusia punctata is part of a species complex including G. rhizophorae , G. xanthosoma , G. beebei and G. pseudopunctata . [6] Additional cryptic species have been proposed to exist within the range of G. punctata on the basis of mitochondrial haplogroup data. [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican tetra</span> Species of fish

The Mexican tetra, also known as the blind cave fish, blind cave characin or the blind cave tetra, is a freshwater fish in the Characidae family of the order Characiformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to the Nearctic realm, originating in the lower Rio Grande, and the Neueces and Pecos Rivers in Texas, into the Central Plateau and eastern states of Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosquitofish</span> Species of fish

The western mosquitofish is a North American freshwater poeciliid fish, also known commonly, if ambiguously, as simply mosquitofish or by its generic name, Gambusia, or by the common name gambezi. Its sister species, the eastern mosquitofish is also referred to by these names.

<i>Gambusia</i> Genus of fishes

Gambusia is a large genus of viviparous fish in the family Poeciliidae. Gambusia contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats, though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater habitats. The genus Gambusia comes from the Cuban term, "Gambusino", which means "free-lance miner". The type species is the Cuban gambusia, G. punctata. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, Texas, and the Greater Antilles, but species are also found elsewhere in the eastern and southern United States, the Bahamas, Central America, and Colombia. Gambusia species are often called topminnows, or simply gambusias; they are also known as mosquitofish, which, however, refers more specifically to two species, G. affinis and G. holbrooki, which are often introduced into ponds to eat mosquito larvae. As a consequence, they have been introduced widely outside their native range, and frequently become invasive, threatening local species. G. affinis and G. holbrooki are now established in many parts of the world and are likely to continue to spread as climatic conditions change. They are only occasionally kept in aquariums, due to their relative lack of color and the highly aggressive nature of the aforementioned mosquitofish species.

The widemouth gambusia is a species of fish in the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes. It is endemic to Mexico, specifically to the Baños del Azufre near Teapa, Tabasco. The Baños del Azufre are sulfidic springs that contain high concentrations of toxic hydrogen sulfide. This prevents most animals from living in them; the only other fish found in the toxic sections of Baños del Azufre is the sulphur molly.

<i>Poecilia sphenops</i> Species of livebearer fish

Poecilia sphenops, called the Mexican molly or simply the molly, is a species of poeciliid fish from Central America. It was once understood as a widespread species with numerous local variants ranging from Mexico to Venezuela, but these variants are today considered distinct species belonging to the P. sphenops complex and P. sphenops itself as being native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Due in part to its popularity as an aquarium fish, the species has been introduced outside of its native range, but many records may in fact refer to P. mexicana or other species from the complex. P. sphenops has been crossbred with other mollies, notably P. latipinna and P. velifera, to produce fancy mollies for the ornamental fish trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The freshwater butterflyfish or African butterflyfish is a species of osteoglossiform fish native to freshwater habitats in the Niger and Congo basins of western and central Africa. It is the only extant species in the family Pantodontidae. It is not closely related to saltwater butterflyfishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern mosquitofish</span> Species of fish

The eastern mosquitofish is a species of freshwater fish, closely related to the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. The eastern mosquitofish is native to the eastern and southern United States from Florida to Pennsylvania and inland to Alabama and Tennessee, while the western mosquitofish has a larger distribution throughout the United States.

<i>Lucifuga</i> Genus of fishes

Lucifuga is a genus of viviparous brotulas. Most of the species are native to caves and sinkholes in Cuba and the Bahamas; L. inopinata from deep water off the Galápagos Islands is the only exception. The four species rated by the IUCN are all considered vulnerable. The largest species in the genus reaches about 15 cm (5.9 in) in length.

<i>Rivulus</i> Genus of fishes

Rivulus is a genus of small freshwater fish in the Cyprinodontiformes family Rivulidae. It was traditionally considered to be the largest genus in its family; however, the genus's size is currently in dispute. Wilson J. E. Costa split this genus into several new genera in 2004 and 2011, leaving only a few Greater Antillean species in Rivulus itself. Despite being moved to other genera, some of the species retain the common name "rivulus", like the well-known mangrove rivulus. Shortly after the review by Costa, another review authored by J.H. Huber refuted the split, moving the proposed genera back in Rivulus and again making the genus the largest in the family Aplocheilidae.

The yellow rasbora is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Rasbora from Southeast Asia. It is a primarily freshwater fish originally from Java island in Indonesia. It is known as the Wader pari fish in the Indonesian language. In addition, it was a protein source for the local community during the old days.

The spottail chub is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, endemic to the Lerma–Chapala basin and upper Santa Maria (Tampoán) system in west-central Mexico. Populations of the Ameca River basin were formerly included in this species, but are now recognized as A. amecae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barred topminnow</span> Species of fish

The barred topminnow is a species of poeciliid fish endemic to Cuba where it prefers patches of aquatic vegetation in ponds. Females grow to a standard length of up to 3.4 cm (1.3 in), while males only reach 2 cm (0.8 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuban gar</span> Species of fish

The Cuban gar, also known as the manjuarí, is a fish in the family Lepisosteidae. It is a tropical, freshwater species, although it also inhabits brackish water. It is found in rivers and lakes of western Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud. The flesh of the fish is edible, but the eggs are poisonous for humans.

<i>Priapichthys annectens</i> Species of fish

Priapichthys annectens is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. It is the type species of the genus Priapichthys. It is native to Costa Rica, primarily inhabiting brooks and streams with currents of low to high velocity. A carnivorous surface feeder, it occurs in shoals near the shoreline.

<i>Channa punctata</i> Species of fish

Channa punctata, the spotted snakehead, is a species of snakehead. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and nearby areas, ranging across Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Tibet. Its natural habitats are swamps, ponds and brackish water systems. It is a fish of high food value and has little value as aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific blue-eye</span> Species of fish

The Pacific blue-eye is a species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae native to eastern Australia. Described by Austrian naturalist Rudolf Kner in 1866, it comprises two subspecies that have been regarded as separate species in the past and may be once again with further study. It is a common fish of rivers and estuaries along the eastern seaboard from Cape York in North Queensland to southern New South Wales, the Burdekin Gap in central-north Queensland dividing the ranges of the two subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mangrove gambusia</span> Species of fish

The Mangrove gambusia is a tropical poeciliid fish species with a restricted, disjunct range one in northwestern Cuba, the other in southeastern Florida. The Florida population has been recently listed as "biologically vulnerable" by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispaniolan gambusia</span> Species of fish

The Hispaniolan gambusia is a fish endemic to the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Girardinus metallicus</i> Species of fish

Girardinus metallicus is a species of fish from the family of the Poeciliidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iguanodectidae</span> Family of fish

Iguanodectidae is a family of freshwater fish in the order Characiformes that lives in South America. It is home to the subfamily Iguanodectinae and the monotypic Bryconops clade. Several species in the family, such as the green line lizard tetra, the tailspot tetra, and the orangefin tetra, are sometimes taken as aquarium fish.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lyons, T.J.; Ponce de León, J.; García-Machado, E. (2021). "Gambusia punctata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T125962255A125963389. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T125962255A125963389.en . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  2. "Gambusia punctata Poey, 1854". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  3. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Gambusia". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Species: Gambusia punctata, Cuban Gambusia, Spotted Gambusia". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Gambusia punctata". FishBase . January 2025 version.
  6. 1 2 García-Machado, Erik; Ponce de Léon, José L.; Gutiérrez-Costa, María A.; Michel-Salzat, Alice; Germon, Isabelle; Casane, Didier (2020). "Phylogeographic evidence that the distribution of cryptic euryhaline species in the Gambusia punctata species group in Cuba was shaped by the archipelago geological history". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 144. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106712. Art. No. 106712.
  7. Lara, Ariagna; Ponce de León, José Luis; Rodríguez, Rodet; Casane, Didier; Côte, Guillaume; Bernatchez, Louis; García-Machado, Erik (2010). "DNA barcoding of Cuban freshwater fishes: evidence for cryptic species and taxonomic conflicts". Molecular Ecology Resources. 10 (3): 421–430. doi:10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02785.x.