| Cubanichthys cubensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Cyprinodontidae |
| Genus: | Cubanichthys |
| Species: | C. cubensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cubanichthys cubensis (Eigenmann, 1903) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Fundulus cubensisEigenmann, 1903 | |
Cubanichthys cubensis, the Cuban killifish, is a species of killifish from the family Cyprinodontidae, the pupfishes which is endemic to Cuba. [1]
Cubanichthys cubensis has a cylindrical body which is slightly broader and taller in the anterior portion. They are a typical size for killifish, the males are 3.6 centimetres (1.4 in) while the females are slightly smaller. They are not colourful, the body being a mottled semi-transparent golden buff with a creamy white patch which starts behind the gill covers and forms an diagonal arch which reaches the anal fin and which covers the viscera. A series of horizontal light blue lines start at the gill covers and extend along the body to the caudal peduncle. There is a broken dark line which frequently runs from the lower mandible through the middle of the eye, and proceeding to the upper part of the gill cover. The males are brighter and the blue line sare more obvious, continuing on to the bases of both the dorsal and anal fins. Like other pupfish this species is sexually dimorphic and the males have more extravagant fins than the females with added extensions on the anal and dorsal fins while their tail can be washed with blue. The females are plainer and often display mottling or splotching along the centre line of the body. [2]
Cubanichthys cubensis is endemic species to Cuba where it is predominantly found in the western part of the island becoming more localised in the central parts. [2] It has been found as far east as the municipality of Moron, Cuba in Ciego de Avila. [3]
Cubanichthys cubensis prefers fresh water but can infrequently be found in brackish water. They strongly prefer waters with thick vegetation consisting of macrophytes or algae plants and where they show a preference for open sunny areas. [4] The spawning period lasts for several days during which the females can lay up to 10 eggs a day, laying each egg individually and placing them on a plant. The eggs are relatively large in size, measuring 1.4 mm in diameter, transparent and adhesive. Sometimes a female with be seen with some eggs hanging from her urogenital paplliae but she soon rubs the eggs off onto water plants. [2] It has been described a larvivorous and a large part of this species' diet consists of the larvae of mosquitoes. [3]
Cubanichthys cubensis is the type species of the genus Cubanichthys . [5] It was originally described in 1903 as Fundulus cubensis by Carl H. Eigenmann with the type locality being cited as Pinar del Rio, Cuba. [6]
The mummichog is a small killifish found along the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. Also known as Atlantic killifish, mummies, gudgeons, and mud minnows, these fish inhabit brackish and coastal waters including estuaries and salt marshes. The species is noted for its hardiness and ability to tolerate highly variable salinity, temperature fluctuations from 6 to 35 °C, very low oxygen levels, and heavily polluted ecosystems. As a result, the mummichog is a popular research subject in embryological, physiological, and toxicological studies. It is also the first fish ever sent to space, aboard Skylab in 1973.
The flagfish, also known as the American flagfish or Florida flagfish, is a species of pupfish, a type of killifish from the family Cyprinodontidae which is endemic to Florida. It is found in the aquarium trade. Its common name derives from the dominant males' body pattern, which bears some resemblance to the Flag of the United States.
Fundulus is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the superfamily Funduloidea, family Fundulidae. It belongs to the order of toothcarps (Cyprinodontiformes), and therein the large suborder Cyprinodontoidei. Most of its closest living relatives are egg-laying, with the notable exception of the splitfin livebearers (Goodeidae).
The banded killifish is a North American species of temperate freshwater killifish belonging to the genus Fundulus of the family Fundulidae. Its natural geographic range extends from Newfoundland to South Carolina, and west to Minnesota, including the Great Lakes drainages. This species is the only freshwater killifish found in the northeastern United States. While it is primarily a freshwater species, it can occasionally be found in brackish water.
The blue lyretail, also known as the Gardner's killi and formerly as the steel-blue aphyosemion. It is a species of killifish endemic to freshwater habitats in Nigeria and Cameroon.
The saltmarsh topminnow is a species of killifish for the family Fundulidae. It occurs in the coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico in the United States.
The rainwater killifish is a small silvery fish with yellow flashes and diamond shaped scales that is widespread from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, through to Tampico, Mexico. It is commonly found in large numbers in fresh to brackish estuarine environments. It feeds on tiny crustaceans, mosquito larvae, small worms, and mollusks. It can reach up to 62 mm.
Variola, the lyretails, is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are found in the tropical Indo-Pacific and their distribution extends from the Red Sea to South Africa across the Indian Ocean and east to the islands of the central Pacific.
Cubanichthys is a small genus of pupfishes endemic to the Caribbean Islands of Cuba and Jamaica. The name of this genus is a compound of Cuba, where the genus was thought to be endemic until C. pengellyi was placed in the genus, and the Greek word for fish, ichthys.
The Gulf killifish is one of the largest members of the genus Fundulus; it is capable of growing up to 7 inches (18 cm) in length, whereas the majority of other Fundulus reach a maximum length of 4 inches (10 cm). Therefore, F. grandis is among the largest minnows preyed upon by many sport fish, such as flounder, speckled trout, and red drum. Fundulus derives from the Latin meaning "bottom," and grandis means "large". The Gulf killifish is native to the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida and the eastern coast of Florida and the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Threats to the survival of the Gulf killifish include extreme changes in salinity, changes in temperatures, and toxic events such as the hypoxic dead zone in Louisiana and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Gulf killifish is currently being used to test the effects of oil and oil dispersants on the physiology of marine species affected by these substances. This is significant to conservation biology, because with the continued extraction of oil and other natural resources from North American waters, it has become increasingly important to understand the risks and consequences in worst-case scenarios, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the lasting effects on the marine ecosystem.
Aphanius danfordii, the Kızılırmak toothcarp or Sultan Sazlığı toothcarp, is a species of killifish belonging to the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to the Kızılırmak River and the upper Seyhan River drainage systems and is now restricted to a few locations in the Sultan Sazlığı marshes. Though little data is available, the population of the fish seems to be declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "critically endangered" and fears it may become extinct in the wild if the drainage of the marshes continues.
Zaniolepis latipinnis, the longspine combfish or longspined greenling, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Zaniolepididae.The species occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Fundulus luciae, the spotfin killifish, is a member of the genus Fundulus. This hardy fish is notable for spending its entire life in sporadically flooded salt marsh habitat, sheltering in shallow pools, puddles, and small tidal rivulets. It closely resembles the mummichog in shape and coloration, but the two species can be distinguished by dorsal fin ray count: 8–9 in the spotfin versus 11–12 in the mummichog. Additionally, the dorsal fin of F. luciae originates farther back, and slightly behind the anal fin origin; in the mummichog, the dorsal fin begins anteriorly to the anal fin origin. The spotfin killifish is named for the pronounced ocellus found on the posterior dorsal fin of adult males. It is a small fish, seldom attaining 50 millimetres (2.0 in) in total length. Its distribution extends along the U.S. east coast from Massachusetts to Georgia.
Bidyanus welchi, commonly known as Welch's grunter, black bream, or silver bream, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Terapontidae native to Australia.
The Seminole killifish is a fish of the genus Fundulus, endemic to the U.S. state of Florida.
Poeciliinae is a subfamily of killifish from the family Poeciliidae which contains species from the Americas which are collectively known as the livebearers because many, but not all, of the species within the subfamily are ovoviviparous.
Zaniolepis frenata, also known as the shortspine combfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Zaniolepididae.The species occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Nothobranchius lucius is a species of killifish, an African rivuline which is placed in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Tanzania.
The Cuban limia, also known as banded limia, Cuban molly, Cuban topminnow or tabai is a species of livebearing freshwater fish from the family Poeciliidae. The species is native to Cuba where it was endemic but it has been introduced to Hawaii.
The sea trumpeter is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is endemic to the southeastern Indian Ocean off the southwestern coats of Australia.