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killifishColumbia Encyclopedia entry: killifish
Killifish, northern representative, especially the genus Fundulus, of the Cyprinodontidae or toothed minnows, a family that includes also the topminnows and many popular aquarium fishes (e.g., the guppy or rainbow fish, Lebistes reticulatus) among its brightly colored tropical species. Most North American toothed minnows are oviparous, i.e., bearing young hatched from eggs, and some are quite colorful; however, the tropical viviparous species (i.e., bearing live young) are preferred for aquariums, since they are easier to raise. Killifishes average from 2 to 4 in. (5–10 cm) in length and have compressed bodies, small mouths with projecting lower jaws, unforked tails, and large scales. They live in ponds, streams, ditches, and salt marshes throughout the United States and feed on insect larvae, crustaceans, and small water plants. The banded killifish is found in the Mississippi basin; the common killifish (5 in./12.5 cm) is an eastern species. Guppies can survive temperatures of up to 100°F (38°C) as can certain topminnows of the W United States. The greenish-gray female guppy (1 1/2 in./3.75 cm) produces from 12 to 25 live offspring every few weeks; in captivity they must be separated from the cannibalistic adults. The rainbow colors of the male guppy (1 in./2.5 cm) are marked with black spots and bars. Like the guppy, the 2-in. (5-cm) Gambusia, a topminnow of the S Atlantic and the Gulf, bears live young and is important in controlling mosquitoes, on whose larvae both the guppy and the minnow feed. Killifishes are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Osteichthyes, order Cyprinodontiformes, family Cyprinodontidae.
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Wikipedia search results for: Killifish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A killifish is any of various oviparous cyprinodontiform fish. All in all there are some 1270 different species of killifish, the biggest family being Rivulidae, containing more than 320 species. Although killifish is sometimes used as an English equivalent to Cyprinodontidae, some species belonging to that family have their own common names, such as the pupfish and the mummichog. The name killifish is derived from the Dutch word "kilde", meaning small creek, puddle. Most killies are small fish, from one to two inches, with the largest species growing to just under six inches.
Killifish are found mainly in fresh or brackish...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: killifish
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- mollie
Mollie or molly, New World fish of the genus Mollienesia, in the same family as the guppy (see killifish). Mollies are found from the E and central United States to Argentina. Top-living fish,...
- cave fish
Cave fish, common name for blind, cave-dwelling fishes of the family Amblyopsidae. The Amblyopsidae are whitish fish, up to 5 in. (13 cm) long. With the exception of a single species, all memb...
- minnow
Minnow, common name for the Cyprinidae, a large family of freshwater fish which includes the carp (Cyprinus carpio), and of which there are some 300 American species. The European minnow is Ph...
