Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Ovalentaria
Superordo: Atherinomorphae
Ordo: Cyprinodontiformes
Subordo: Cyprinodontoidei
Familia: Poeciliidae
Subfamilia: Poeciliinae
Tribus: Poeciliini
Genus: Poecilia
Species (40): P. boesemani – P. butleri – P. catemaconis – P. caucana – P. caudofasciata – P. chica – P. dauli – P. dominicensis – P. elegans – P. formosa – P. gillii – P. hispaniolana – P. hondurensis – P. kempkesi – P. koperi – P. kykesis – P. latipinna – P. latipunctata – P. marcellinoi – P. maylandi – P. mechthildae – P. mexicana – P. nicholsi – P. obscura – P. orri – P. parae – P. petenensis – P. reticulata – P. rositae – P. salvatoris – P. sarrafae – P. sphenops – P. sulphuraria – P. teresae – P. vandepolli – P. velifera – P. vivipara – P. waiapi – P. wandae – P. wingei
Name
Poecilia Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 452
Gender: feminine
Type species: Poecilia vivipara Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Type by subsequent designation of Bleeker, 1864: 140
Poecilia vivipara
References
Bloch, M.E., & Schneider. J.G. 1801: M. E. Blochii, Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus CX illustratum. Post obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini. Sumtibus Auctoris Impressum et Bibliopolio Sanderiano Commissum. Pp. i-lx + 1-584, Pls. 1-110.
Bleeker, P. 1864: Atlas ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néêrlandaises, publié sous les auspices du Gouvernement colonial néêrlandais. Tome III. Cyprins; pp. 1-150, pls. 102-144. Amsterdam.
Bragança, P.H.N. & Costa, W.J.E.M. 2010: Poecilia sarrafae, a new poeciliid from the Parnaíba and Mearim river basins, northeastern Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Cyprinodontoidei). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 21 (4): 369–376.
Ho, A.L.F.C., Pruett, C.L. & Lin, J. 2016. Phylogeny and biogeography of Poecilia (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliinae) across Central and South America based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 101: 32–45. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.04.032 Paywall. Reference page.
Lucinda, P.H.F.; Figueiredo, C.A.; Hartel, K.E. 2011: Designation of the lectotype of Poecilia amazonica Garman, 1895 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae) and discussion of its nomenclatural status. Zootaxa, 2751: 63–64. Preview (PDF)
Meyer, M.K., Schneider, K., Radda, A.C., Wilde, B. & Schartl, M. 2004. A new species of Poecilia, subgenus Mollienesia, from upper río Cahabón system, Guatemala, with remarks on the Nomenclature of Mollienesia petenensis Günther, 1866 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae)]. Zoologische Abhandlungen 54: 145–154. PDF Reference page.
Schories, S.; Meyer, M.K.; Schartl, M. 2009: Description of Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) obscura n. sp., (Teleostei: Poeciliidae), a new guppy species from western Trinidad, with remarks on P. wingei and the status of the “Endler’s guppy”. Zootaxa, 2266: 35–50. Abstract & excerpt (PDF) (PDF) [erratum in Zootaxa, 2296: 68 (PDF)]
Links
ION
Nomenclator Zoologicus
Poecilia species list in FishBase,
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds.) 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org, version 02/2024.
Eschmeyer, W.N., Catalog of Fishes (electronic version)
Vernacular names
bosanski: Poecilia
català: Poecilia
Deutsch: Poecilia
English: Poecilia
español: Poecilia
français: Poecilia
italiano: Poecilia
lietuvių: Pecilijos
Nederlands: Poecilia
norsk: Poecilia
polski: Poecilia
português: Poecilia
русский: Пецилия
ไทย: ปลาสอด, ปลาหางนกยูง
Poecilia is a genus of fishes in the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes.[2] 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 living in waters that contain high levels of toxic hydrogen sulfide (H
2S)[3] and a population of P. mexicana lives in caves (other populations of this species are surface-living).[4]
Some common and widespread species are often kept as aquarium fish, while other have very small ranges and are seriously threatened.[3] Species in Poecilia are called mollies (e. g. P. sphenops) or guppies (e. g. P. reticulata) depending on body shape.
Micropoecilia has been proposed to be included as a subgenus of Poecilia.[5]
Taxonomy and etymology
Poecilia was first proposed as a genus in 1801 by the German naturalists Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider when the described Poecilia vivipara as a new species. P. vivipara was subsequently designated as the type species of the genus by Pieter Bleeker in 1864.[6] It is the type genus of the subfamily Poeciliinae and of the family Poeciliidae.[7] Poecilia refers to the Greek word poikilos, which means "variegated" or "speckled", an allusion to the coloration and pattern of the type species, as well as that of and other related fishes, such as Fundulus heteroclitus which Bloch & Schneider classified in this genus.[8]
Aquaria
Fish of this genus have extremely variable coloration and have been selectively bred to create many different varieties. The most commonly kept species are guppies (P. reticulata), mollies (P. sphenops or P. latipinna), and Endler's livebearers (P. wingei). Members of the genus readily hybridize with each other and so most commercially offered fish are hybrids (with guppies having some Endler, and mollies being a mix of common and sailfin mollies).[9]
They are easy to sex as males have a prominent gonopodium, a modified anal fin used to inseminate females. They mature quickly and breed readily, with females giving birth to a dozen or more fry every month.[10] Some poecilids are cannibalistic and will eat any of their fry that are unable to flee in time (with females often eating the fry they just gave birth to, especially in a cramped aquarium setting).
Species
The 41 currently recognized species in this genus are:[11][12]
Poecilia boesemani Poeser, 2003
Poecilia butleri D. S. Jordan, 1889 (Pacific molly)
Poecilia catemaconis R. R. Miller, 1975 (Catemaco molly)
Poecilia caucana (Steindachner, 1880) (Cauca molly)
Poecilia caudofasciata (Regan, 1913)
Poecilia chica R. R. Miller, 1975 (dwarf molly)
Poecilia dauli M. K. Meyer & Radda, 2000
Poecilia dominicensis (Evermann & H. W. Clark, 1906)
Poecilia elegans (Trewavas, 1948) (elegant molly)
Poecilia formosa (Girard, 1859) (Amazon molly)
Poecilia gillii (Kner, 1863)
Poecilia hispaniolana Rivas, 1978 (Hispaniola molly)[13]
Poecilia hondurensis Poeser, 2011
Poecilia kempkesi Poeser, 2013[12]
Poecilia koperi Poeser, 2003
Poecilia kykesis Poeser, 2002
Poecilia latipinna (Lesueur, 1821) (sailfin molly)
Poecilia latipunctata Meek, 1904 (broadspotted molly)
Poecilia marcellinoi Poeser, 1995
Poecilia maylandi M. K. Meyer, 1983 (Balsas molly)
Poecilia mechthildae M. K. Meyer, Etzel & Bork, 2002
Poecilia mexicana Steindachner, 1863 (shortfin molly)
Poecilia nicholsi (G. S. Myers, 1931)
Poecilia obscura Schories, M. K. Meyer & Schartl, 2009
Poecilia orri Fowler, 1943 (mangrove molly)
Poecilia parae C. H. Eigenmann, 1894 (Melanzona guppy)
Poecilia petenensis Günther, 1866 (Peten molly)
Poecilia picta (Regan, 1913) (Swamp guppy)
Poecilia reticulata W. K. H. Peters, 1859 (guppy)
Poecilia rositae M. K. Meyer, K. Schneider, Radda, B. Wilde & Schartl, 2004[14]
Poecilia salvatoris Regan, 1907 (Liberty molly)
Poecilia sarrafae Bragança & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2011
Poecilia sphenops Valenciennes, 1846 (black molly)
Poecilia sulphuraria (Álvarez, 1948) (sulphur molly)
Poecilia teresae D. W. Greenfield, 1990 (mountain molly)
Poecilia vandepolli van Lidth de Jeude, 1887
Poecilia velifera (Regan, 1914) (Yucatán molly)
Poecilia vivipara Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
Poecilia waiapi Bragança, W. J. E. M. Costa & Gama, 2012
Poecilia wandae Poeser, 2003
Poecilia wingei Poeser, Kempkes & Isbrücker, 2005 (Endler's guppy, Endler's livebearer)[15]
If Poecilia in the wider sense is used then the species would be divided up into subgenera as follows:[8]
Poecilia Bloch & Schneider 1801
Poecilia (Poecilia) vivipara
Acanthophacelus Eigenmann 1907
Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) kempkesi
Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) obscura
Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) reticulata
Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) wingei
Allopoecilia Hubbs 1924
Poecilia (Allopoecilia) caucana
Poecilia (Allopoecilia) dauli
Curtipenis Rivas & Myers 1950
Poecilia (Curtipenis) elegans
Limia Poey 1854
Poecilia (Limia) caudofasciata
Poecilia (Limia) caymanensi
Poecilia (Limia) dominicensis
Poecilia (Limia) fuscomaculata
Poecilia (Limia) garnieri
Poecilia (Limia) grossidens
Poecilia (Limia) immaculata
Poecilia (Limia) melanogaster
Poecilia (Limia) melanonotata
Poecilia (Limia) miragoanensis
Poecilia (Limia) nicholsi
Poecilia (Limia) nigrofasciata
Poecilia (Limia) ornata
Poecilia (Limia) pauciradiata
Poecilia (Limia) perugiae
Poecilia (Limia) rivasi
Poecilia (Limia) sulphurophila
Poecilia (Limia) tridens
Poecilia (Limia) versicolor
Poecilia (Limia) vittata
Poecilia (Limia) yaguajali
Poecilia (Limia) zonata
Micropoecilia Hubbs 1926
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) bifurca
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) branneri
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) minima
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) parae
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) picta
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) sarrafae
Poecilia (Micropoecilia) waiapi
Mollienesia Lesueur 1821
Poecilia (Mollienesia) boesemani
Poecilia (Mollienesia) butleri
Poecilia (Mollienesia) catemaconis
Poecilia (Mollienesia) chica
Poecilia (Mollienesia) formosa
Poecilia (Mollienesia) gillii
Poecilia (Mollienesia) hondurensis
Poecilia (Mollienesia) koperi
Poecilia (Mollienesia) kykesis
Poecilia (Mollienesia) latipinna
Poecilia (Mollienesia) latipunctata
Poecilia (Mollienesia) limantouri
Poecilia (Mollienesia) marcellinoi
Poecilia (Mollienesia) maylandi
Poecilia (Mollienesia) mechthildae
Poecilia (Mollienesia) mexicana
Poecilia (Mollienesia) nelsoni
Poecilia (Mollienesia) orri
Poecilia (Mollienesia) petenensis
Poecilia (Mollienesia) rositae
Poecilia (Mollienesia) salvatoris
Poecilia (Mollienesia) sphenops
Poecilia (Mollienesia) sulphuraria
Poecilia (Mollienesia) teresae
Poecilia (Mollienesia) thermalis
Poecilia (Mollienesia) vandepolli
Poecilia (Mollienesia) velifera
Poecilia (Mollienesia) wandae
Pseudolimia Poeser 2002
Poecilia (Pseudolimia) heterandria
Psychropoecilia Myers 1935
Poecilia (Psychropoecilia) hispaniolana
Poecilia (Psychropoecilia) montana A male Dalmatian molly in a community aquarium
A male Dalmatian molly in a community aquarium
A male black molly
A male black molly
Poecilia vivipara
Poecilia vivipara
A female guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
A female guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
A male guppy
References
Bailly, Nicolas (2014). "Poecilia Bloch & Schneider, 1801". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
"Poecilia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
Palacios, Arias-Rodriguez, Plath, Eifert, Lerp, Lamboj, Voelker, & Tobler (2013). The Rediscovery of a Long Described Species Reveals Additional Complexity in Speciation Patterns of Poeciliid Fishes in Sulfide Springs. PLoS ONE 8(8): e71069.
Plath; Heubel; García de León; & Schlupp (2005). Cave molly females (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae, Teleostei) like well-fed males. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 58: 144–151.
Bragança, P. H. N. and W. J. E. M. Costa (2011): Poecilia sarrafae, a new poeciliid from the Paraíba and Mearim river basins, northeastern Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Cyprinodontoidei). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters v. 21 (no. 4) [Dec. 2010]: 369–376.
Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Poeciliinae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. p. 379. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6.
Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (9 March 2023). "Order CYPRINODONTIFORMES: Families POECILIIDAE, ANABLEPIDAE, VALENCIIDAE, APHANIIDAE and PROCATOPODIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
"Molly's the word!". Practical Fishkeeping UK. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
"Reproductive biology of Poecilia sphenops Valenciennes, 1846 (Cyprinidontiformes: Poeciliidae) at the Emiliano Zapata Reservoir in Morelos, Mexico". Neotropical Ichthyology. 14. 2016 – via SciELO Brazil.
Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). Species of Poecilia in FishBase. February 2013 version.
Poeser, F.N. (2013): Apropos Guppys... viviparos, Das Lebendgebärenden Magazin, (11) 1: 36-40, 56. (In German)
Lyons, T.J. & Rodríguez-Silva, R. 2021. Poecilia hispaniolana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T125979833A125986583. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T125979833A125986583.en. Downloaded on 28 April 2021.
Manfred K. Meyer; Alfred C. Radda; Manfred Schartl; Klaus Schneider; Brigitta Wilde (November 2004). "A new species of Poecilia, subgenus Mollienesia, from upper río Cahabón system, Guatemala, with remarks on the Nomenclature of Mollienesia petenensis Günther, 1866 (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae)" (PDF). Zoologische Abhandlungen. 54: 145–154. ISSN 0375-5231. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-08-29.
Fred N. Poeser; Michael Kempkes; Isaac J. H. Isbrücker (2005). "Description of Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) wingei n. sp. from the Paria Peninsula, Venezuela, including notes on Acanthophacelus Eigenmann, 1907 and other subgenera of Poecilia Bloch and Schneider, 1801 (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes, Poecilidae)" (PDF). Contributions to Zoology. 74 (1–2): 97–115. doi:10.1163/18759866-0740102007. S2CID 83619379. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-20.
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