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.
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 opalescens, also known as the opal pearlfish, annual tropical killifish or opalescent pearlfish, is a species of killifish in the family Aplocheilidae endemic to Brazil. This species was described as Cynolebias opalescens by George S. Myers in 1942 with the type locality given as the base of the Serra do Petrópolis, near Imbarié in the municipality of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro.
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".
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.
Melanorivulus is a genus of South American freshwater fish in the family Rivulidae. Most species are endemic to the Río de la Plata, eastern Amazon, Tocantins–Araguaia and São Francisco basins in Brazil, but a few members of this genus range west into Bolivia, south into Paraguay and Argentina, and east to Parnaíba and Sergipe in northeastern Brazil. Only M. schuncki occurs north of the Amazon River. They inhabit shallow waters, generally 5–30 cm (2–12 in) deep, at the margins of streams in open or fairly open habitats like the Cerrado or Cerrado–Amazon transition. Many have tiny ranges and are seriously threatened.
Anablepsoides is a genus of killifish in the family Rivulidae native to tropical South America and the Lesser Antilles. The majority are from the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as freshwater systems in the Guiana Shield, but a few species are from northern Venezuela, northeastern Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Although largely restricted to lowlands, a few species occur in the lower East Andean foothills. They are mostly found in shallow fresh water swamps, streams, edges of rivers, ponds and pools, but a few may occur in brackish estuaries. They are able to jump over land and breathe air for short periods, allowing them to access isolated waters inhabited by few or no other fish. Several Anablepsoides species have small distributions and some are seriously threatened by habitat loss; the entire known range of A. xinguensis is in the area flooded by the Belo Monte Dam.
Atlantirivulus is a genus of fishes in the family Rivulidae. They are endemic to shallow swamps, creeks, streams and pools in the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, ranging from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina. Several of the species are highly threatened, while others survive in well-protected reserves. A. janeiroensis was initially feared extinct, but has since been rediscovered in two reserves.
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.
Ophthalmolebias ilheusensis is a killifish from the family Rivulidae which is endemic to Brazil where it is only known from river floodplains near Ilhéus in Bahia. Fishbase has this as the only species in the genus Opthamolebias with the other five species which other authorities classify as being within that genus placed in Simpsonichthys. The genus Ophthalmolebias was initially considered a subgenus of Simpsonichthys, but has been elevated to full genus status.
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).
Xenurolebias is a genus of fish in the family Rivulidae. These annual killifish are endemic to temporary pools in the Atlantic forest near the coast in southeast Bahia and Espírito Santo, Brazil.
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.
Austrolebias minuano is a species of killifish from the family Rivulidae. It is endemic to plains to the south of the Laguna dos Patos in southern Brazil. This species was described in 2001 with the type locality given as a Temporary lagoon about 4.5 kilometers north of the town of Quinta in Rio Grande do Sul. The specific name refers to the Minuane an indigenous people who lived in Rio Grande do Sul.
Spectrolebias is a genus of killifish in the family Rivulidae. These annual killifish are endemic to seasonal waters in the Paraguay, Tocantins–Araguaia, Xingu and Mamoré–Grande basins in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Each species generally has a small distribution and some are seriously threatened by habitat loss; the entire known range of S. reticulatus is in the area flooded by the Belo Monte Dam.
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.
