''Chapalichthys'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

splitfin Goodeidae is a family of teleost fish endemic to Mexico and some areas of the United States. Many species are known as splitfins. This family contains about 50 species within 18 genera. The family is named after ichthyologist George Brown Good ...

s that are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to west-central

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, where found in lakes, pools, ponds and channels in the Lerma– Chapala– Grande de Santiago and Balsas basins. ''Chapalichthys'' reach up to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

. Despite this relatively small size, they are often caught as food in Lake Chapala.

Species

There are currently three species in this genus according to

FishBase FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web.

, but some authorities only recognize two, treating ''C. peraticus'' as a

junior synonym The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linna ...

of ''C. pardalis''. * '' Chapalichthys encaustus'' ( D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1899) (Barred splitfin) * '' Chapalichthys pardalis''

Álvarez Álvarez or Álvares may refer to: People *Álvarez (surname), Spanish surname Places *Alvares (river), a river in northern Spain * Alvares (ski resort), in Iran *Alvares, Iran * Alvares, Portugal *Álvarez, Santa Fe, a town in the province of Sa ...

, 1963 (Polka-dot splitfin) * '' Chapalichthys peraticus''

, 1963 (Alien splitfin)

References

Goodeinae Freshwater fish of Mexico Endemic fish of Mexico Freshwater fish genera Taxa named by Seth Eugene Meek Ray-finned fish genera {{Cyprinodontiformes-stub