Yellow swordtail
The yellow swordtail (Xiphophorus clemenciae) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Poeciliidae.[2] It is endemic to the upper Coatzacoalcos River basin in southern Mexico.[3] It is typically found in brooks and streams with slow current; it is less frequent in areas with strong current.[2] The yellow swordtail is considered a threatened species by Mexican authorities.[4] It reaches up to 5.1 cm (2.0 in) in standard length.[2]
Yellow swordtail | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
Family: | Poeciliidae |
Genus: | Xiphophorus |
Species: | X. clemenciae |
Binomial name | |
Xiphophorus clemenciae Álvarez, 1959 | |
Unusually, the yellow swordtail appears to be the result of hybrid speciation, and its ancestors a platy species and a swordtail species.[3][5] The southern mountain swordtail (X. monticolus), which is found further south in the Coatzacoalcos River basin than the yellow swordtail, is the result of a similar event.[3]
The fish is named in honor of Álvarez’ wife Clemencia, whose help and advice made it possible for him to devote himself to the pursuit of his scientific research.[6]
Sources
- Vega-Cendejas, M. (2019). "Xiphophorus clemenciae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T23155A2784809. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T23155A2784809.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2018). "Xiphophorus clemenciae" in FishBase. September 2018 version.
- Kang, J.H.; M. Schartl; R.B. Walter; A. Meyer (2013). "Comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of all species of swordtails and platies (Pisces: Genus Xiphophorus) uncovers a hybrid origin of a swordtail fish, Xiphophorus monticolus, and demonstrates that the sexually selected sword originated in the ancestral lineage of the genus, but was lost again secondarily". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13 (25): 25. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-25. PMC 3585855. PMID 23360326.
- Ceballos, G.; E.D. Pardo; L.M Estévez; H.E. Pérez, eds. (2016). Los peces dulceacuícolas de México en peligro de extinción. Fondo de Cultura Económic. p. 279. ISBN 978-607-16-4087-1.
- Meyer, A.; W. Salzburger; M. Schartl (2006). "Hybrid origin of a swordtail species (Teleostei: Xiphophorus clemenciae) driven by sexual selection". Molecular Ecology. 15 (3): 721–730. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.02810.x. PMID 16499697. S2CID 128413.
- Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order CYPRINODONTIFORMES: Families POECILIIDAE, ANABLEPIDAE, VALENCIIDAE, APHANIIDAE and PROCATOPODIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 26 December 2021.