Gambusia
Encyclopedia
Gambusia is a large genus of fish
in family Poeciliidae
(order Cyprinodontiformes
). Gambusia contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater
habitat
s, though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater
habitats. The type species
is the Cuban gambusia
, Gambusia punctata). Gambusia species are often called topminnows or simply gambusias; they are also known as mosquitofish, which, however, refers more specifically to one species, G. affinis. Gambusia can be introduced into ponds to eat mosquito
larvae. They are very important in aquarium trade, desired for small size, ease of breeding, and charming gracefulness. They are viviparous-they have live young.
Nine species are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
; one, the widemouth gambusia
, G. eurystoma, is Critically Endangered; and two, the Amistad gambusia
, G. amistadensis, and the San Marcos gambusia
, G. georgei, are already extinct.
lists 43 species:
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in family Poeciliidae
Poeciliidae
Poeciliidae is a family of fresh-water fish which are live-bearing aquarium fish . They belong to the order Cyprinodontiformes, tooth-carps, and include well-known aquarium fish such as the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail...
(order Cyprinodontiformes
Cyprinodontiformes
The Cyprinodontiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising mostly small, fresh-water fish. Many popular aquarium fish, such as killifish and live-bearers, are included. They are closely related to the Atheriniformes and are occasionally included with them...
). Gambusia contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s, though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
habitats. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is the Cuban gambusia
Cuban gambusia
The Cuban gambusia is aspecies of freshwater fish. It is a member of thefamily Poeciliidae of orderCyprinodontiformes, and is the type species of its genus. It is...
, Gambusia punctata). Gambusia species are often called topminnows or simply gambusias; they are also known as mosquitofish, which, however, refers more specifically to one species, G. affinis. Gambusia can be introduced into ponds to eat mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
larvae. They are very important in aquarium trade, desired for small size, ease of breeding, and charming gracefulness. They are viviparous-they have live young.
Nine species are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
; one, the widemouth gambusia
Widemouth gambusia
The widemouth gambusia is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes. It is native to Mexico.This species reaches a maximum overall length of approximately ....
, G. eurystoma, is Critically Endangered; and two, the Amistad gambusia
Amistad gambusia
The Amistad gambusia was a small fish known only to occur in Goodenough Spring, Val Verde County, Texas, a tributary of the Rio Grande. This species was eliminated in the wild when construction of the Amistad Reservoir in 1968 submerged Goodenough Spring under approximately 70 feet of water...
, G. amistadensis, and the San Marcos gambusia
San Marcos gambusia
The San Marcos gambusia is an endangered species of fish, found only in the San Marcos Springs of Central Texas. The fish has not been seen since 1983, so it may be extinct.- Description :...
, G. georgei, are already extinct.
Species
FishBaseFishBase
FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
lists 43 species:
- Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (BairdSpencer Fullerton BairdSpencer Fullerton Baird was an American ornithologist, ichthyologist and herpetologist. Starting in 1850 he was assistant-secretary and later secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C...
& GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1853). - Yellowfin gambusia, Gambusia alvarezi Hubbs & Springer, 1957.
- Amistad gambusiaAmistad gambusiaThe Amistad gambusia was a small fish known only to occur in Goodenough Spring, Val Verde County, Texas, a tributary of the Rio Grande. This species was eliminated in the wild when construction of the Amistad Reservoir in 1968 submerged Goodenough Spring under approximately 70 feet of water...
, Gambusia amistadensis Peden, 1973. Extinct. - Blackfin gambusia, Gambusia atrora Rosen & Bailey, 1963.
- Golden gambusia, Gambusia aurata Miller & Minckley, 1970.
- Gambusia baracoana Rivas, 1944.
- Miragoane gambusia, Gambusia beebei Myers, 1935.
- Gambusia bucheri Rivas, 1944.
- Gambusia clarkhubbsi Garrett & Edwards, 2003.
- Dominican gambusia, Gambusia dominicensis Regan, 1913.
- Maya gambusia, Gambusia echeagarayi (Alvarez, 1952).
- Widemouth gambusiaWidemouth gambusiaThe widemouth gambusia is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes. It is native to Mexico.This species reaches a maximum overall length of approximately ....
, Gambusia eurystoma Miller, 1975. - Big Bend gambusiaBig bend gambusiaThe Big Bend gambusia is a rare species of fish in the Poeciliidae family. It is endemic to the Big Bend region of the Rio Grande of the United States and Mexico. The only known remaining population is in a protected pond in the Big Bend National Park.This livebearer is about 2 inches long. It...
, Gambusia gaigei Hubbs, 1929. - Largespring gambusia, Gambusia geiseri Hubbs & Hubbs, 1957.
- San Marcos gambusiaSan Marcos gambusiaThe San Marcos gambusia is an endangered species of fish, found only in the San Marcos Springs of Central Texas. The fish has not been seen since 1983, so it may be extinct.- Description :...
, Gambusia georgei Hubbs & Peden, 1969. Extinct. - Clear Creek gambusiaClear Creek gambusiaThe Clear Creek gambusia is a species of fish in the Poeciliidae family. It is endemic to the United States, particularly Menard County, Texas.-Life and habitat:...
, Gambusia heterochir Hubbs, 1957. - Hispaniolan gambusia, Gambusia hispaniolae Fink, 1971.
- Eastern mosquitofishEastern mosquitofishThe eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, is a species of freshwater fish that is closely related to the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes...
, Gambusia holbrooki GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1859. - Crescent gambusia, Gambusia hurtadoi Hubbs & Springer, 1957.
- Spotfin gambusia, Gambusia krumholzi Minckley, 1963.
- Gambusia lemaitrei Fowler, 1950.
- Cuatrocienegas gambusia, Gambusia longispinis Minckley, 1962.
- Sleek mosquitofish, Gambusia luma Rosen & Bailey, 1963.
- Gambusia manni Hubbs, 1927.
- Robust gambusia, Gambusia marshi Minckley & Craddock, 1962.
- Striped gambusia, Gambusia melapleura (Gosse, 1851).
- Gambusia monticola Rivas, 1971.
- Gambusia myersi AhlErnst AhlChristoph Gustav Ernst Ahl was a German zoologist.He was the director of the department of ichthyology and herpetology in the Museum für Naturkunde....
, 1925. - Nicaraguan mosquitofish, Gambusia nicaraguensis Günther, 1866.
- Pecos gambusiaPecos gambusiaThe Pecos gambusia is a species of fish in the Poeciliidae family. It is endemic to the Pecos River in Texas and New Mexico in the United States. This two-inch species, as most of the family, is a live bearer. Females produce broods of up to 40 fry every four to five days...
, Gambusia nobilis (BairdSpencer Fullerton BairdSpencer Fullerton Baird was an American ornithologist, ichthyologist and herpetologist. Starting in 1850 he was assistant-secretary and later secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C...
& GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1853). - Panuco gambusia, Gambusia panuco Hubbs, 1926.
- Tiburon Peninsula gambusia, Gambusia pseudopunctata Rivas, 1969.
- Cuban gambusiaCuban gambusiaThe Cuban gambusia is aspecies of freshwater fish. It is a member of thefamily Poeciliidae of orderCyprinodontiformes, and is the type species of its genus. It is...
, Gambusia punctata PoeyFelipe Poey-Biography:Poey was born in Havana, the son of French and Spanish parents. He spent several years of his life in Pau then studied law in Madrid. He became a lawyer in Spain but was forced to leave due to his liberal ideas, returning to Cuba in 1823. He began to concentrate on the study of the...
, 1854. - Caribbean gambusia, Gambusia puncticulata PoeyFelipe Poey-Biography:Poey was born in Havana, the son of French and Spanish parents. He spent several years of his life in Pau then studied law in Madrid. He became a lawyer in Spain but was forced to leave due to his liberal ideas, returning to Cuba in 1823. He began to concentrate on the study of the...
, 1854. - Forlon gambusia, Gambusia regani Hubbs, 1926.
- Mangrove gambusia, Gambusia rhizophorae Rivas, 1969.
- Blotched gambusia, Gambusia senilis GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1859. - Teardrop mosquito, Gambusia sexradiata Hubbs, 1936.
- Tex-Mex gambusia, Gambusia speciosa GirardCharles Frédéric GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing in ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1859. - Gulf gambusia, Gambusia vittata Hubbs, 1926.
- Wray's gambusia, Gambusia wrayi Regan, 1913.
- Cayman gambusia, Gambusia xanthosoma Greenfield, 1983.
- Yucatan gambusia, Gambusia yucatana Regan, 1914.
- Gambusia zarskei Meyer, Schories & Schartl, 2010.