Aplocheilidae are a family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 of bony fishes containing about 15 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

. Formerly, the name "Aplocheilidae" was used for the Aplocheiloidei as a whole, i.e. including the Nothobranchiidae

Nothobranchiidae

Nothobranchiidae are a family of bony fishes containing roughly 300 species. They are small killifish, usually measuring about . They are essentially limited to Africa, and were formerly included in the family Aplocheilidae...

 of Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 and the mainly South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

n Rivulidae

Rivulidae

Rivulidae are a family of killifishes in the order Cyprinodontiformes. They are commonly known as rivulids, South American killifish or New World killifish. The latter names are slightly misleading however, as they are neither restricted to South America – though most are in fact found there...

 as subfamilies. This obsolete system is sometimes still seen, e.g. in ITIS

Itis

Itis may refer to* Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species...

.

They are small killifish

Killifish

A killifish is any of various oviparous cyprinodontiform fish . Altogether, there are some 1270 different species of killifish, the biggest family being Rivulidae, containing more than 320 species...

, usually measuring about 5 centimetres (2 in) in length. Species are found southern Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 (Aplocheilus), and Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

 (Pachypanchax). They live in fresh water

Fresh Water

Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...

 but are somewhat salt-tolerant. They are also found in muddy or brackish water. Some species are kept as aquarium pets.

Many aplocheilid fish lay their eggs at the end of the rainy season, attaching them to the mud as their habitat begins to dry out. The adults die shortly after spawning, and the eggs remain inactive (diapause

Diapause

Diapause is the delay in development in response to regularly and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions. It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions...

) throughout the dry season. Once the return of the rains stimulates the eggs to develop and hatch, growth is swift; there is almost no larval period, and the fish are sexually mature at the age of about one month.

Classification

The family Aplocheilidae includes fifteen species, grouped into three genera, as follows:

Family Aplocheilidae

• Genus Aplocheilus
  Aplocheilus
  Aplocheilus is a genus of killifish in the family Aplocheilidae, with 7 species. Their range is primarily South and Southeast Asia, from Pakistan to Vietnam and Malaysia, and from Nepal to Sri Lanka. Several species, especially the striped panchax, Aplocheilus lineatus, are important aquarium fishes...
  
  
  • Aplocheilus blockii - Green panchax
  • Aplocheilus dayi
    Aplocheilus dayi
    Aplocheilus dayi is a species of killifish. The species is a good size, but it gets attacked by other killifish that are smaller. Males and females have a black dot at the rear end of the base of the dorsal fin. The females lay 50-150 eggs....
    
    - Ceylon killifish
  • Aplocheilus kirchmayeri
  • Aplocheilus lineatus - Striped panchax
  • Aplocheilus panchax - Blue panchax
  • Aplocheilus parvus - Dwarf panchax
  • Aplocheilus werneri - Werner's killifish
• Genus Pachypanchax
  Pachypanchax
  Pachypanchax is a genus of fishes in the Aplocheilidae family. They are native to Madagascar.-Species:Most species in this genus are still undescribed .* Pachypanchax omalonotus* Pachypanchax sakaramyi...
  
  
  • Pachypanchax arnoulti
  • Pachypanchax omalonotus
    Pachypanchax omalonotus
    Pachypanchax omalonotus is a species of fish in the Aplocheilidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is rivers.-References:...
    
    - Powder-blue panchax
  • Pachypanchax patriciae - Patricia's killifish
  • Pachypanchax playfairii - Golden panchax
  • Pachypanchax sakaramyi
    Pachypanchax sakaramyi
    Pachypanchax sakaramyi is a species of fish in the Aplocheilidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
    
    
  • Pachypanchax sparksorum
  • Pachypanchax varatraza