Limia

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Limia
Limia tridens (1) (cropped).jpg
L. tridens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Tribe: Poeciliini
Genus: Limia
Poey, 1854
Type species
Limia cubensis
Poey, 1854 [1]

Limia is a genus of livebearing fishes belonging to the Cyprinodontiform family Poeciliidae. It comprises 22 described species found in fresh, brackish, saltwater, and hypersaline habitats of the Greater Antilles islands in the Caribbean Sea. A vast majority are endemic to Hispaniola. There has been a long-running debate on whether Limia should be considered a subgenus of Poecilia rather than a full genus. Most Limia species are detrivores and herbivores. Due to their small size and coloring, they are sometimes kept in home aquaria.

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus Limia belongs to Poecilidae, the most abundant and species-rich family of freshwater fish on the Greater Antilles. [2] The generic name Limia, derived from Latin, refers to the muddy habitat of the type species, L. vittata . The genus was established in 1854 by Poey. Rosen and Bailey made it a subgenus of the genus Poecilia in their major reclassification of the poeciliid genera in 1963. Rivas, among others, continued to recognize Limia as a distinct genus and resurrected it in 1978, describing eight new species in 1980. [3]

Other Poecilidae genera found on the Antilles include Poecilia, Gambusia , and the endemic genera Girardinus and Quintana . Limia, however, is represented on the islands by more species than any other poeciliid genus, with 22 currently known from Cuba, Grand Cayman, Hispaniola, and Jamaica. [2] Cuba, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica each have one endemic species: L. vittata, L. caymanensis , and L. melanogaster , respectively. The rest are found exclusively on Hispaniola, making the island a center of endemism for the genus. Their distribution on Hispaniola indicates an evolutionary radiation from Lake Miragoâne on the Tiburon Peninsula in particular. Nine species endemic to the lake have been described: L. fuscomaculata , L. garnieri , L. grossidens , L. immaculata , L. islai , L. mandibularis , L. miragoanensis , L. nigrofasciata , and L. ornata . [2] [4]

Evolution and phylogeny

Phylogenetic relationships of Limia, based on the mitochondrial (mt) cytochrome b gene [4]

Most recent studies about the origin of limias conclude that the genus colonized the Antilles islands through oceanic dispersal or vicariance. [2] Weaver et al. posit that GAARlandia, a hypothesized land bridge connecting the area of the modern islands to the South American mainland during the Eocene–Oligocene transition, might have enabled the fish to reach the Antilles through a combination of dispersal, vicariance, and island hopping. Weaver et al. believe that Limia ancestors are unlikely to have arrived exclusively over land, however, because Limia and all other native Antillean species are tolerant of saltwater; if a land bridge had been sufficient, intolerant species would have also colonized the islands. [5]

Limia forms a clade with Pamphorichthys , Mollienesia , Micropoecilia , and Poecilia. [4] Some authorities advocate for all of these taxa to be considered separate genera, while others maintain that some or all of them should be treated as subgenera of the genus Poecilia. The sister clade to Limia is the one formed by the Hispaniolan Poecilia species P. elegans , P. dominicensis , and P. hispaniolana ; all three have been found to be more closely related to Limia than to other Poecilia species, adding to the uncertainty in the taxonomic designations of Poecilia. Limia and the Hispaniolan Poecilia species diverged from Pamphorichthys during the Eocene–Oligocene transition. [5]

The first to split off from the other Limia species, near the Oligocene–Miocene boundary, was L. melanogaster, [5] [4] which went on to colonize Jamaica. [4] This was followed by the colonization of the combined Cuba-Hispaniola landmass. When the Windward Passage divided the landmass into the modern islands of Cuba and Hispaniola, the ancestors of L. vittata and L. caymanensis split from the Hispaniolan species. [5]

Species

Limia
Distribution of L. dominicensis, L. melanotata, L. pauciradiata, L. perugiae, L. rivasii, L. sulphurophila, L. tridens, L. versicolor, L. yaguajali, and L. zonata on Hispaniola

Based on the number and shape of teeth and preopercular pores, Rivas separated the Limia species into two subgenera: Limia and Odontolimia. All seven Odontolimia species are endemic to Lake Miragoâne. [6] One species, Pseudolimia heterandria from Venezuela, was placed in the genus Limia when it was described in 1913, but was moved to its own genus, Pseudolimia , in 2002. [7]

Odontolimia


Limia

Ecology

A typical habitat of L. sulphurophila and L. melanonotata Habitat Limia 51071623241 6f1fa1cd2c.jpg
A typical habitat of L. sulphurophila and L. melanonotata

Most Limia species inhabit inland waters [2] such as rivers, springs, and lakes. Some are confined to relatively cool mountain streams. [11] While most are found in freshwater habitats, some species inhabit karst environments high in dissolved inorganic salts or in saline lakes. A few are even found in hypersaline coastal lagoons. [2] [4]

Most Limia species prefer to feed on detritus and algae, with some Hispaniolan species, such as L. nigrofasciata, showing a specialization in detrivory. A trend towards a limnivore diet has also been recorded in the genus. Widespread species such as L. perugiae, L. versicolor, and L. zonata have been found to have a more generalized diet, which (especially in the wet season) includes aquatic invertebrates. [12]

Traits

Limias are small fish, ranging from 1 in (25 mm) to 3 in (76 mm). Many limias have glimmering scales and the color of the sides of the body often contrasts the color of the fins. Hispaniolan limias tend to have color in their dorsal fin. Those native to Haiti (western Hispaniola) often have stripes. [3]

A male L. melanogaster courting a female Limia melanogaster.jpg
A male L. melanogaster courting a female

Like many poeciliid fish, limias are livebearers. [2] Three species exhibit elaborate premating behavior, with males performing courtship display for females: L. melanogaster, L. nigrofasciata, and L. perugiae. The courtship display evolved in the genus on at least two, and possibly three, separate occasions. Traits such as black edges of the caudal fin and black undersides of the body are phylogenetically correlated with courtship display and probably reflect female choice. The other mating strategy, available to the courting species as well, is the gonopodial thrusting (also called opportunistic mating, forced copulation, or sneak-and-chase), which is ancestral in poeciliids and involves the males attempting to mate without female cooperation. The males' vertical bars and yellow coloration in the caudal fin appear to have evolved before courtship. [13]

Fishkeeping

Limias' small size makes them suitable for keeping in home aquaria. Most species can be maintained in a 10 US gal (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) aquarium. [3] Limias, particularly L. melanogaster and L. nigrofasciata, were more common in the fishkeeping hobby until the advent of the fancy varieties of guppies, mollies, platies, and swordtails. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poeciliidae</span> Family of ray-finned fishes

Poeciliidae are a family of freshwater ray-finned fishes of the order Cyprinodontiformes, the tooth-carps, and include well-known live-bearing aquarium fish, such as the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail. The original distribution of the family was the Southeastern United States to north of Río de la Plata, Argentina, and Africa, including Madagascar. Due to release of aquarium specimens and the widespread use of species of the genera Poecilia and Gambusia for mosquito control, though, poeciliids can today be found in all tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In addition, Poecilia and Gambusia specimens have been identified in hot springs pools as far north as Banff, Alberta.

<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.

<i>Poecilia</i> Genus of fishes

Poecilia is a genus of fishes in the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes. These livebearers are native to fresh, brackish and salt water in the Americas, and some species in the genus are euryhaline. A few have adapted to living in waters that contain high levels of toxic hydrogen sulfide and a population of P. mexicana lives in caves.

<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">Humpbacked limia</span> Species of fish

The humpbacked limia or black-barred limia is a critically endangered species of poeciliid fish which is endemic to Haiti. Its common name is derived from the hump males develop as they age. It is sometimes kept in home aquaria.

Lake Miragoâne is a lake in Haiti, located one kilometer southeast of the city of Miragoâne. It is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the Caribbean. The lake is 12 km (7.5 mi) long and 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) in area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perugia's limia</span> Species of fish

Perugia's limia is a poeciliid fish endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is one of the most widespread species in the Limia genus, inhabiting waters ranging from fresh to hypersaline. Unlike most Limia species, L. perugiae is omnivorous. Dominant males are especially colorful. Females give birth to live young.

<i>Micropoecilia</i> Genus of fishes

Micropoecilia is a genus of poeciliids native to fresh and brackish water from the Amazon Basin to Trinidad. While recognized as valid by FishBase, others have considered this genus as being synonymous with Poecilia.

<i>Heterandria formosa</i> Species of fish

Heterandria formosa is a species of livebearing fish within the family Poeciliidae. This is the same family that includes familiar aquarium fishes such as guppies and mollies. Heterandria formosa is not as commonly kept in aquaria as these species. Despite the common name "least killifish", it belongs to the family Poeciliidae and not to one of the killifish families. H. formosa is one of the smallest fish species; the 1991 Baensch Aquarium Atlas listed it as the 7th smallest fish in the world, and as of 2006 it remains the smallest fish species found in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poeciliinae</span> Subfamily of fishes

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.

Limia melanonotata, the blackbanded limia, is a toothcarp in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola.

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

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

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

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.

<i>Limia sulphurophila</i> Species of fish

Limia sulphurophila, also known as sulphur limia, is a livebearing fish in the family Poeciliidae. It is endemic to the Dominican Republic in the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Limia islai</i> Species of freshwater fish

Limia islai, also known as the tiger limia, is a species of fish within the family Poeciliidae. This species is one of several Limia that are endemic to Lake Miragoâne, Haiti.

<i>Limia melanogaster</i> Species of fish

Limia melanogaster, the black-bellied or blue limia, is a poeciliid fish from Jamaica. It inhabits fast-flowing streams. It is a rare livebearer in modern fishkeeping.

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

Poecilia vivipara, sometimes called the southern molly, is a small euryhaline livebearer fish distributed along the Atlantic coast of South America. It is most frequently found in standing brackish water. It has been introduced outside its native range to control mosquito populations and is occasionally kept in home aquariums.

<i>Limia tridens</i> Species of fish

Limia tridens, commonly known as the Tiburon limia, is a poeciliid fish endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Limia grossidens, also called the largetooth limia, is a critically endangered poeciliid fish endemic to Haiti.

Limia fuscomaculata, also called the blotched limia, is a critically endangered poeciliid fish endemic to Haiti.

References

  1. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Limia". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rodriguez-Silva, Rodet; Torres-Pineda, Patricia; Josaphat, James (2020). "Limia mandibularis, a new livebearing fish (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) from Lake Miragoane, Haiti". Zootaxa. 4768 (3): 395–404. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4768.3.6. PMID   33055650.
  3. 1 2 3 Coletti, Ted (November 2007). "Livebearers Unlimited: The Caribbean Jewels". Tropical Fish Hobbyist . TFH Publications.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Spikes, Montrai; Rodríguez-Silva, Rodet; Bennett, Kerri-Ann; Bräger, Stefan; Josaphat, James; Torres-Pineda, Patricia; Ernst, Anja; Havenstein, Katja; Schlupp, Ingo; Tiedemann, Ralph (2021). "A phylogeny of the genus Limia (Teleostei: Poeciliidae) suggests a single-lake radiation nested in a Caribbean-wide allopatric speciation scenario". BMC Research Notes. 14 (425): 425. doi: 10.1186/s13104-021-05843-x . PMC   8613956 . PMID   34823576.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Weaver, Pablo; Cruz, Alexander; Johnson, Steven Euston; Dupin, Julia; Weaver, Kathleen (June 2016). "Colonizing the Caribbean: Biogeography and evolution of livebearing fishes of the genus Limia (Poeciliidae)". Journal of Biogeography. 43 (9): 1808–1819. Bibcode:2016JBiog..43.1808W. doi:10.1111/jbi.12798. S2CID   89184942. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Rivas, Luis R. (1980). "Eight new species of poeciliid fishes of the genus Limia from Hispaniola" (PDF). Northeast Gulf Science. 4 (1): 29–31. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  7. ↑ Poeser, Fred N. (2002). "Pseudolimia n. gen., a new monotypic genus for Limia heterandria Regan, 1913 (Teleostei:Poeciliidae)" (PDF). Beaufortia. 52 (6): 53–56. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Tiger Limia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020-06-16. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  9. ↑ Lyons, T.J.; Rodríguez-Silva, R. (2021). "Limia tridens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T177038495A177038510. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T177038495A177038510.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Rodríguez-Silva, R.; Rodriguez, C.; Schlupp, I.; Lyons, T.J. (2021). "Limia yaguajali". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T125986113A125986653. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T125986113A125986653.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Haney, Dennis C.; Walsh, Stephen J. (December 2003). "Influence of salinity and temperature on the physiology of Limia melanonotata (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae): A search for abiotic factors limiting insular distribution in Hispaniola". Caribbean Journal of Science. 39 (3): 327. Bibcode:2003CarJS..39..327H.
  12. ↑ Rodriguez-Silva, Rodet; Spikes, Montrai; Iturriaga, Manuel; Bennett, Kerri-Ann; Josaphat, James; Torres-Pineda, Patricia; Bräger, Stefan; Schlupp, Ingo (11 October 2021). "Feeding strategies and diet variation in livebearing fishes of the genus Limia (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) in the Greater Antilles". Ecology of Freshwater Fish. 31 (2): 389–400. doi:10.1111/eff.12638. S2CID   244612970 . Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Hamilton, Aaron (2001). Molecular Phylogenetics and the Evolution of Courtship Behavior, Body Shape, and Coloration in the Livebearing Fish Genus Limia (Thesis). University of Californi, Riverside. p. vii.
  14. ↑ Neal Monks. "7 Forgotten Livebearers". Tropical Fish Hobbyist. Archived from the original on 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
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