Xiphophorus continens

Xiphophorus continens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Cyprinodontiformes
Family:Poeciliidae
Genus:Xiphophorus
Species: X. continens
Binomial name
Xiphophorus continens
Rauchenberger et al., 1990

Xiphophorus continens, also known as El Quince swordtail or short-sword platyfish, is a live bearing freshwater fish in the Poeciliidae family.[1] It is endemic to the Pánuco River basin in east-central Mexico.[2] Its name comes from the Greek conto, meaning short, and Latin ensis, meanin "sword". due to the species' sword size in males.[1]

Description

X. continens reaches up to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in total length.[2] It is a small, slender species, with a slender caudal peduncle and with a midlateral stripe. The maximum length of the sword is 1 mm (0.04 in). It has a hook on its gonopodium; distal serrae; its grave spot, when present, is only visible under 10X magnification; no xanthophore or pterinophore pigment patterns.[1]

Distribution

Headwaters of the Rio Ojo Frio, north of Damian Carmona, Pánuco River drainage, San Luis Potosí.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rauchenberger, Mary, Klaus D. Kallman, and Donald C. Morizot. "Monophyly and geography of the Río Pánuco Basin swordtails (genus Xiphophorus) with descriptions of four new species. American Museum Novitates;; no. 2975." (1990).
  2. 1 2 "Xiphophorus continens". FishBase. Retrieved 31 Mar 2013.

Further reading

  • Reproductive behaviour: McLennan, Deborah A.; Ryan, Michael J. (2008). "Female swordtails, Xiphophorus continens, prefer the scent of heterospecific males". Animal Behaviour. 75 (5): 1731–1737. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.10.030. ISSN 0003-3472. ; pdf: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/ryan/Publications/2008/2008AnimBeh75%201731.pdf


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.