A killifish is any of various oviparous (egg-laying) cyprinodontiform fish, including families Aplocheilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fundulidae, Profundulidae and Valenciidae. All together, there are 1,270 species of killifish, the biggest family being Rivulidae, containing more than 320 species. As an adaptation to living in ephemeral waters, the eggs of most killifish can survive periods of partial dehydration. Many of the species rely on such a diapause, since the eggs would not survive more than a few weeks if entirely submerged in water. The adults of some species, such as Kryptolebias marmoratus, can additionally survive out of the water for several weeks. Most killies are small fish, from 2.5 to 5 centimetres, with the largest species growing to just under 15 centimetres (6 in).
Nothobranchius is a genus of small, freshwater killifish, classified in the family Nothobranchiidae in the order Cyprinodontiformes. There are about a hundred species in the genus, many with very small distributions. They are primarily native to East Africa from Sudan to northern South Africa, whereas a dozen species are found in the upper Congo River Basin; the greatest species richness is in Tanzania.
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture.
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. It consists of a well-preserved palm forest, flagship species made up of the island endemic coco de mer, as well as five other endemic palms. The coco de mer, a monocot tree in the Arecaceae, has the largest seeds of any plant in the world. Also unique to the park is its wildlife, including birds such as the rare Seychelles black parrot, mammals, crustaceans, snails, and reptiles. There has been a determined effort to eliminate all the introduced exotic species of plants from the area but this has not been successful in eliminating coffee, pineapple, and ornamental palms thus far. This forest, with its peculiar plant and animal species, is a relict from the time when the supercontinent of Gondwana was divided into smaller parts, leaving the Seychelles islands between the present day Madagascar and India.
Aplocheilus is a genus of killifish in the family Aplocheilidae. Their native range is in South and Southeast Asia, from Pakistan to Vietnam and Malaysia, and from Nepal to Sri Lanka. Several species, especially the striped panchax, A. lineatus, are important aquarium fishes.
The striped panchax is a species of killifish, of the genus Aplocheilus. An aquarium variant of this species with a more yellowish coloration is known as golden wonder killifish. The striped panchax inhabits fresh and brackish waters of India and Sri Lanka. It is found in streams, rivers, swamps, and paddy fields. This fish grows to a length of 10 cm (4 in). Most male A. lineatus measure around 7 centimetres (3 in), but the fish can grow up to 10 centimetres (4 in) under excellent conditions, especially if brought to the end of its life expectancy, around 6 years. It possesses a parietal eye which permits it to see prey insects and predators above it on the surface. A. lineatus can jump very well.
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 redtail notho is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Zanzibar. Its natural habitats are intermittent rivers and intermittent freshwater marshes. The redtail notho eats mosquito larvae and other planktonic creatures. Scientists are looking at introducing the species elsewhere in Africa to help with malaria prevention.
The spotted killifish is a small, short lived species of fish, an African rivuline from the family Nothobranchiidae. These fish are native to many isolated freshwater pools located in the savannah depressions of east Africa, specifically Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. This species of fish occurs in ephemeral waters and killifish eggs can survive long periods of dehydration. The word killifish likely comes from the Dutch kil for kill.
The striped nothobranch is a species of freshwater fish of East Africa, belonging to the family Aplocheilidae.
Pachypanchax omalonotus, the powder-blue panchax, is a species of Aplocheilid killifish endemic to Madagascar where it is found on the island of Nosy Be and in the Sambirano River basin and adjacent streams on the mainland. Its natural habitat is rivers.
Pachypanchax is a genus of aplocheilid killifishes native to freshwater in Madagascar, with one species known from Seychelles.
Pachypanchax sakaramyi is a species of Aplocheilid killifish endemic to Madagascar where it is only known from Sakaramy and Antongombato Rivers with reports that it is found in several crater lakes. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes. It is threatened by habitat loss and invasive 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.
Nothobranchius rachovii, the bluefin notho, is a species of freshwater annual killifish from Mozambique. It can grow up to 6 cm (2.4"). It is popular among killifish enthusiasts, who raise them from eggs in aquaria.
Epiplatys is a genus of African rivuline in the family Nothobranchiidae endemic to Africa as the name indicates. Several of these species are popular aquarium fish.
Aphyosemion australe, the lyretail panchax, golden panchax or Cape Lopez lyretail, is a species of freshwater fish belonging to the family Aplocheilidae. It is found around Cape Lopez and in surrounding areas in Gabon.
Aplocheilus parvus, the dwarf panchax, is a species of killifish native to India and Sri Lanka. This species grows to a length of 6.3 cm (2.5 in). Its natural habitats are sheltered fresh and brackish water tanks, small streams and rivulets overgrown with vegetation. They are rarely use as an aquarium fish. It is often misidentified as Aplocheilus panchax or as Aplocheilus blockii.
Aplocheilus kirchmayeri is a species of killifish native to India. It was named after the aquarist J. Kirchmayer. Its validity as a species has been questioned, with some experts believing that it is a subspecies of Aplocheilus blockii. The species has been noted to be rather difficult to keep in an aquarium.
Pachypanchax patriciae is a species of killifish from the family Aplocheilidae. It is endemic to Madagascar where it occurs in the basins of the Mananjeba, Mahavavy du Nord, Ifasy, Manehoko, and Ampandra rivers in the north west of the island. The specific name of this fish honours the Malagasy conservationist Patricia Yazgi (1946-2006), who ran the charity Friends of Fishes and who supported efforts to document and conserve the freshwater fish fauna of Madagascar. This species appears to feed mainly the adults and nymphs of terrestrial insects and on the larvae of aquatic insects and its most important predators are fish-eating birds and dragonfly nymphs. It may, however, be threatened by introduced alien fishes in some areas.
