Xiphophorus
| Xiphophorus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Green swordtail, Xiphophorus hellerii | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Poeciliidae |
| Subfamily: | Poeciliinae |
| Genus: |
Xiphophorus Heckel, 1848 |
| Type species | |
|
Xiphophorus hellerii Heckel, 1848 |
|
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
See text.
Xiphophorus is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. The many Xiphophorus species are all called either platyfish (or platies) or swordtails. The type species is X. hellerii, the green swordtail. Platyfish and swordtails are live-bearers, meaning that they reproduce via internal fertilization. The name Xiphophorus derives from the Greek words ξίφος (dagger) and φόρος (bearer), referring to the gonopodium.
The various Xiphophorus species are native to areas of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and especially Mexico. All small fishes, which reach maximum lengths of 3.5–16 cm (1.4–6.3 in) depending on the exact species. Three species and their hybrids are common in the aquarium trade: the green swordtail (X. hellerii), the southern platyfish (X. maculatus) and the variable platyfish (X. variatus). IUCN lists two Xiphophorus species, the marbled swordtail (X. meyeri) and the northern platyfish (X. gordoni), as Endangered, while the Monterrey platyfish (X. couchianus) is listed as Critically Endangered.
Xiphophorus species are regularly used in genetic studies, and scientists have developed many interspecific hybrids. The Xiphophorus , founded by Myron Gordon in 1939, is an important source of these fish for research.
...
Wikipedia