Cyprinodontiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising mostly small, freshwater fish. Many popular aquarium fish, such as killifish and live-bearers, are included. They are closely related to the Atheriniformes and are occasionally included with them. A colloquial term for the order as a whole is toothcarps, though they are not actually close relatives of the true carps – the latter belong to the superorder Ostariophysi, while the toothcarps are Acanthopterygii.
The Rivulidae are a family of killifishes in the order Cyprinodontiformes. They are commonly known as rivulids, South American killifish or New World killifish. The latter names are slightly misleading, however, as they are neither restricted to South America, though most are in fact found there, nor are they the only killifishes from the Americas. Occasionally, they are still referred to as rivulines, a term dating back to when they were considered a subfamily of the Aplocheilidae.
Cynolebias is a genus of freshwater annual killifish in the family Rivulidae. They are endemic to northeastern Brazil, generally in temporary waters such as ponds in the Caatinga and adjacent regions. By far the highest species richness is in the São Francisco River basin, but there are also species east and north of this system, and west as far as the Tocantins River basin. Many species have rather small distributions and some are highly threatened.
Leptolebias marmoratus, the marbled pearlfish, annual tropical killifish or ginger pearlfish, is a species of killifish in the family Rivulidae. This threatened species is found in temporary channels within dense Atlantic rainforest, in the floodplains of rivers draining into the Baía de Guanabara, near the city of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It reaches up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in total length.
Leptolebias is a ray-finned fish genus of the killifish family Rivulidae. Like many of their relatives, they are rather ambiguously known as "pearlfish".
Leptolebias splendens, also known as the splendid pearlfish or annual tropical killifish, is a species of killifish in the family Rivulidae endemic to Brazil, in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro. This species was described as Cynolebias splendens in 1942 by George S. Myers with the type locality given as water holes or ponds along the foot of the Serra de Petropolis in Rio de Janeiro State. Deforestation and urbanisation led to the species disappearance from the area of its type locality and it was thought to be extinct but it was rediscovered 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the type locality some 70 years after the last known previous record.
Nothobranchius foerschi is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Tanzania. Its natural habitat is probably temporary pools. The specific name honours the German physician and aquaris Walter Foersch (1932-1993), who was an expert in killifish and was one of the first people to keep and breed this species.
Pachypanchax sparksorum is a species of Aplocheilid killifish endemic to Madagascar where it is found in the Anjingo River and streams feeding into the Ankofia River. Its natural habitat is rivers. The specific name of this fish honours the ichthyologist John S. Sparks of the United States National Museum and his wife Karen Riseng Sparks, they collected many of the type series.
Pachypanchax arnoulti is a species of aplocheilid killifish endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is rivers and lakes. It is threatened by habitat loss and invasive species. The specific name of this fish honours the French ichthyologist and herpetologist Jacques Arnoult (1914-1995) in recognition of his contributions to the knowledge of Madagascar's fish fauna. It was described by Paul V. Loiselle in 2006 with the type locality given as "Swamp draining into tributary stream of Ikopa River, flowing parallel to RN-4 at Antanimbray village, 17°10'79"S, 46°50'97"E, Betsiboka River drainage, Madagascar, elevation 246 meters".
Nothobranchiidae are a family of bony fishes containing roughly 300 species, also known as African rivulines. They are small killifish, usually measuring about 5 centimetres (2.0 in). They are limited to Africa, living in fresh water but being also somewhat salt-tolerant. They are also found in muddy or brackish water. Some species are kept as aquarium pets. They have frilly fins and many are brightly colored. They were formerly included in the family Aplocheilidae ; a return to that broader family has recently been suggested.
Austrolebias bellottii, the Argentine pearlfish, is a species of killifish from the family Rivulidae which occurs in the basins of the Paraná River and Uruguay River, in Argentina and Uruguay. This species was described as Cynolebias bellottii by the Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner in 1881 from types collected at La Plata, Argentina. The specific name honours the Italian biologist and paleontologist Cristoforo Bellotti (1823-1919), who supplied Steindachner with specimens from his collection at Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano. It is the type species of the genus Austrolebias.
Austrolebias is a genus of killifish in the family Rivulidae. These annual killifish live in temporary pools, swamps and streams in the Río de la Plata, Patos–Mirim and Mamoré basins in South America.
Nematolebias is a genus of fish in the family Rivulidae. These threatened annual killifish are endemic temporary waters, like pools, in the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Notholebias is a genus of fish in the family Rivulidae. These threatened annual killifish are endemic temporary waters, like ponds, in the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Renova oscari is a species of killifish from the family Rivulidae which is endemic to the Orinoco River basin of Venezuela. This annual killifish grows to a standard length of 4.7 cm (1.9 in). This species is the only known member of its genus. It is found in the aquarium trade. This species was described in 1995 by Jamie E. Thomerson and Donald Charles Taphorn Baechle with the type locality given as the southwestern edge of Isla Raton in the vicinity of the village of Sabanita, upper Río Orinoco. The specific name honours Oscar León Mata (1964-2018), a killifish collector, environmental engineer and curator of fish at Museo de Ciencias Naturales in Guanare.
Mucurilebias leitaoi is a species of rivulid killifish endemic to Brazil where it occurs, or formerly occurred, in the basin of the Mucuri River. This species can reach a length of 3 centimetres (1.2 in) TL. This species has not been seen since the original series of types was collected in 1988 and it may have become extinct due to the extensive habitat loss in the region. This species is the only known member of its genus, but it was formerly included in Leptolebias. The specific name of this fish honours the Brazilian ichthyologist and herpetologist Antenor Leitão de Carvalho (1910-1985).
Simpsonichthys constanciae is a species of killifish from the family Rivulidae that is endemic to Brazil. It is restricted to temporary freshwater habitats in the São João basin in Rio de Janeiro, while all other species in the genus are from Bahia. It is a small killifish that is up to 6 cm (2.4 in) in total length.
Aplocheilus werneri is a species of killifish endemic to Sri Lanka. This species grows to a length of 7 cm (2.8 in). Its natural habitats are small, shallow, slow-flowing, heavily shaded streams and rivulets with a silt or clay substrate. They are largely use as an aquarium fish. The specific name honours the fish importer Andreas Werner who imported this species into Germany for the first time in 1964.
Nematolebias whitei, the Rio pearlfish, is a species of killifish from the family Rivulidae. It is endemic to Brazil where it is found in the Laguna de Araruama basin, Das Ostras River basin and in coastal plains in the vicinity of the mouth of São João River in Rio de Janeiro State. It was introduced to California in the 20th Century but they did not become established there.
Leptopanchax is a genus of small fish, up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long, in the family Rivulidae. They are found in southeastern Brazil from Paraná to Rio de Janeiro. Depending on the exact species, they inhabit small seasonal channels in the Atlantic rainforest or temporary pools in open habitats. Several Leptopanchax species are very rare and L. sanguineus is possibly extinct.
