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Poeciliinae is a subfamily of killifish from the family
Poeciliidae The Poeciliidae are a family of freshwater 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 ...
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.


Characteristics

All of the members of the subfamily Poeciliinae are ovoviviparous, i.e. they give birth to live young, except ''Tomereus'', with internal fertilisation and a large yolk in the egg. The males have the anterior rays, normally the third to fifth rays, in the
anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as s ...
elongated to form an intromittent organ called the
gonopodium Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...
.


Habitat and distribution

The Poeciliinae are predominantly freshwater fish but some species live in brackish water, and some can even tolerate seawater. They are found in North America as far north as southern Canada, Central America and South America through to Patagonia. Some of the world's most popular
aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...
fish such as guppies, swordtails and mollies are from this subfamily. They have been introduced to many regions in the world, either accidentally or to control mosquitoes, and have become invasive species threatening local populations of similar, small fishes. For example, the
Eastern mosquitofish The eastern mosquitofish (''Gambusia holbrooki'') is a species of freshwater fish, closely related to the western mosquitofish, ''Gambusia affinis''. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. The eastern mosquitofis ...
''Gambusia holbrooki'' is considered to be one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world and is responsible for declines in small native aquatic species worldwide.


Subdivisions

The following tribes and genera are classified within the subfamily Poeciliinae: * Tribe Alfarini Hubbs, 1924 **Genus '' Alfaro''
Meek Meekness is an attribute of human nature and behavior that has been defined as an amalgam of righteousness, inner humility, and patience. Meekness has been contrasted with humility alone insomuch as humility simply refers to an attitude towards o ...
, 1912
* Tribe Priapellini Ghedotti, 2000 **Genus '' Priapella''
Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...
1913
* Tribe
Gambusiini Gambusiini, also spelled Gambusini, is a tribe of killifishes from the "livebearer" family Poeciliidae. Their native range encompasses Central and much of North America, with a single species '' Gambusia lemaitrei'' occurring in South America. Som ...
Gill, 1889 **Genus '' Belonesox'' Kner, 1860 **Genus ''
Brachyrhaphis ''Brachyrhaphis'' is a genus of poeciliids native to freshwater habitats in Central America. Most are restricted to Panama and Costa Rica, but ''B. holdridgei'' also occurs in Nicaragua and ''B. hartwegi'' is from Mexico and Guatemala. A recent ...
'' Regan, 1913 **Genus '' Gambusia'' Poey, 1854 **Genus ''
Heterophallus ''Heterophallus'' is a genus of small poeciliids found near the coast in calm waters of river basins in southeastern Mexico. Species There are currently two or three recognized species in this genus: * '' Heterophallus echeagarayi'' (Álvarez, 1 ...
'' Regan, 1914 * Tribe
Heterandriini The Heterandriini is a tribe of killifishes from the "livebearer" family Poeciliidae, consisting of seven genera and around 50 species. The tribe was originally delineated by Carl Leavitt Hubbs in 1924. Genera The genera classified in this tribe ...
Hubbs, 1924 **Genus '' Heterandria''
Agassiz Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz ( ; ) FRS (For) FRSE (May 28, 1807 – December 14, 1873) was a Swiss-born American biologist and geologist who is recognized as a scholar of Earth's natural history. Spending his early life in Switzerland, he rec ...
, 1853
**Genus '' Neoheterandria''
Henn Henn is a both a surname and an Estonian masculine given name. Notable people with the surname include: ;As a given name: * Henn-Ants Kurg (1898–1943), Estonian military colonel and diplomat * Henn Pärn (born 1941), Estonian politician * H ...
1916
**Genus ''
Poeciliopsis ''Poeciliopsis'' is a genus of poeciliid fishes that primarily are native to Mexico and Central America. The only exceptions are ''P. turrubarensis'' where the range extends into Colombia, and ''P. occidentalis'' where the range extends into Ari ...
'' Regan 1913 **Genus '' Priapichthys'' Regan 1913 **Genus ''
Pseudopoecilia ''Pseudopoecilia'' is a genus of small poeciliid fishes native to rivers, streams, springs, ponds and pools in the Chocó-Tumbes region in southwestern Colombia, western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Species There are currently three recognize ...
'' Regan 1913 **Genus '' Pseudoxiphophorus'' Bleeker, 1860 **Genus '' Xenophallus'' Hubbs, 1924 * Tribe Girardini Hubbs, 1924 **Genus '' Carlhubbsia'' Whitley, 1951 **Genus ''
Girardinus ''Girardinus'' is a genus of poeciliids native to Cuba. The name of this genus honours the French zoologist Charles Frédéric Girard Charles Frédéric Girard (8 March 1822 – 29 January 1895) was a French biologist specializing in ichthyol ...
'' Poey, 1854 **Genus '' Quintana'' Hubbs, 1934 * Tribe Poeciliini Bonaparte, 1831 ** Genus ''
Limia ''Limia'' is a genus of livebearing fishes belonging to the Cyprinodontiform family Poeciliidae, which includes other livebearers such as platys, swordtails (genus ''Xiphophorous''), guppies and mollies (genus ''Poecilia''). They are found i ...
'' Poey, 1854 ** Genus ''
Micropoecilia ''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''. Species There are c ...
'' Hubbs, 1926 ** Genus '' Pamphorichthys'' Regan, 1913 ** Genus ''
Phallichthys ''Phallichthys'' is a genus of poeciliids native to Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the sou ...
'' Hubbs, 1924 ** Genus ''
Poecilia ''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 liv ...
''
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Schneider Schneider may refer to: Hospital * Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel People *Schneider (surname) Companies and organizations * G. Schneider & Sohn, a Bavarian brewery company * Schneider Rundfunkwerke AG, the former owner of the D ...
, 1801
** Genus ''
Xiphophorus ''Xiphophorus'' is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes, native to Mexico and northern Central America. The many ''Xiphophorus'' species are all known as platyfish (or platies) and s ...
'' Heckel, 1848 * Tribe
Cnesterodontini Cnesterodontini is a tribe of fishes which are within the subfamily Poeciliinae of the family Poeciliidae. This tribe is distinguished from other tribes in the Poeciliinae by the males having five rays in the pelvic fin, there is a pedicle at th ...
Hubbs, 1924 ** Genus '' Cnesterodon''
Garman Garman is a surname or first name. Notable people with the name include: Sports * Ann Garman, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Judi Garman (born 1954), American softball coach * Mike Garman (born 1949), American baseball pl ...
, 1895
** Genus '' Phalloceros''
Eigenmann Eigenmann is a surname. Notable persons with that surname include: * Andi Eigenmann (born 1990), Filipino actress * Carl H. Eigenmann (1863–1927), German–American ichthyologist, husband of Rosa Eigenmann * Eduardo de Mesa Eigenmann, birth nam ...
, 1907
** Genus '' Phalloptychus'' Eigenmann, 1907 ** Genus '' Phallotorynus'' Henn, 1916 ** Genus ''
Tomeurus ''Tomeurus gracilis'' is a species of poeciliid fish native to South America, in Brazil, Surinam and Venezuela. This species grows to a length of TL. It is the only known member of its genus. This species is classified in the tribe Cnestero ...
'' Eigenmann, 1909 * Tribe Scolichthyini Rosen, 1967 ** Genus '' Scolichthys'' Rosen, 1967 * Tribe Xenodexini Hubbs, 1950 **Genus '' Xenodexia'' Hubbs, 1950


References

{{Taxonbar, From=Q615243 Fish subfamilies Poeciliidae Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte