Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Fishes/Answer Key"

Revision as of 13:38, 8 July 2006

For the genus of butterflies commonly known as swordtails, see Graphium.

The Green swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. It is also called Red swordtail. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or "platy" (X. maculatus) and can interbreed with it. It is native to an area of North and Central America stretching from Veracruz, Mexico, to northwestern Honduras.

Cultivated form of X. hellerii.

The male green swordtail grows to a maximum overall length of 14cm (5.5in) and the female to 16 cm (6.3 in). The name "swordtail" derives form the elongated lower lobe of the male's caudal fin (tailfin). Sexual dimorphism is moderate, with the female being larger than the male but lacking the "sword". The wild form is olive green in color, with a red or brown lateral stripe and speckles on the dorsal and, sometimes, caudal fins. The male's "sword" is yellow, edged in black below. Captive breeding has produced many color varieties, including black, red, and many patterns thereof, for the aquarium hobby.

The green swordtail prefers swift-flowing, heavily-vegetated rivers and streams, but is also found in warm springs and canals. Omnivorous, its diet includes both plants and small crustaceans, insects, and annelid worms.

X. hellerii has become a nuisance pest as an introduced species in a number of countries. It has caused ecological damage because of its ability to rapidly reproduce in high numbers. Feral populations have established themselves in southern Africa, including Natal and eastern Transvaal in South Africa and Lake Otjikoto in Namibia.

One of the most popular tropical aquarium fish, the green swordtail has been bred into various hybrid forms for the aquarium hobby due to its hardiness and suitability for community tanks.

The green swordtail, as the most common of the swordtail species (and in recognition of the fact that many captive-bred color varieties are not green), is typically known simply as the swordtail in the aquarium hobby. It is often designated X. helleri (with one i), but authorities consider this an orthographic error and the spelling with two is is the valid specific epithet.

References

da:Sværddrager de:Schwertträger fr:Xipho nl:Zwaarddrager ja:ソードテール pl:Mieczyk Hellera ru:Зелёный меченосец fi:Miekkapyrstö sv:Svärdbärare zh:红剑鱼

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 :''For the genus of butterflies commonly known as swordtails, see [[Graphium]].''
-The '''Green swordtail''' (''Xiphophorus hellerii'') is a [[species]] of [[freshwater]] [[fish]] in [[family (biology)|family]] [[Poecilidae]] of [[order (biology)|order]] [[Cyprinodontiformes]]. A [[live-bearing aquarium fish|live-bearer]], it is closely related to the [[southern platyfish]] or "platy" (''X. maculatus'') and can interbreed with it.  It is native to an area of [[North America|North]] and [[Central America]] stretching from [[Veracruz]], [[Mexico]], to northwestern [[Honduras]]. The green swordtail is the most common of the swordtail species.
+The '''Green swordtail''' (''Xiphophorus hellerii'') is a [[species]] of [[freshwater]] [[fish]] in [[family (biology)|family]] [[Poecilidae]] of [[order (biology)|order]] [[Cyprinodontiformes]]. It is also called '''Red swordtail'''.  A [[live-bearing aquarium fish|live-bearer]], it is closely related to the [[southern platyfish]] or "platy" (''X. maculatus'') and can interbreed with it.  It is native to an area of [[North America|North]] and [[Central America]] stretching from [[Veracruz]], [[Mexico]], to northwestern [[Honduras]].
 [[Image:Swordtail cultivar.JPG|thumb|left|Cultivated form of ''X. hellerii.'']]
-The name "swordtail" derives form the elongated lower lobe of the male's [[caudal fin]] (tailfin). The male green swordtail grows to a maximum overall length of 14cm (5.5in), and the female will to 16 cm (6.3 in),although when kept in a freshwater aquarium, they will not grow over 5 inches. Determing the gender of a swordtail is easy, for the males have the "Swordtail" and the females do not.
+The male green swordtail grows to a maximum overall length of 14cm (5.5in) and the female to 16 cm (6.3 in).
+The name "swordtail" derives form the elongated lower lobe of the male's [[caudal fin]] (tailfin).  [[Sexual dimorphism]] is moderate, with the female being larger than the male but lacking the "sword". The wild form is olive green in color, with a red or brown lateral stripe and speckles on the [[dorsal fin|dorsal]] and, sometimes, caudal fins.  The male's "sword" is yellow, edged in black below.  Captive breeding has produced many color varieties, including black, red, and many patterns thereof, for the aquarium hobby.
-The wild color of this speicies is olive green , with a red or brown lateral stripe and speckles on the [[dorsal fin|dorsal]] and sometimes on the caudal fins.  The male's "sword" is yellow, with a black edge on the bottom, but captive breeding has produced many colors and varieties, including black, red, mickey mouse, red velevt, pineapple, and many patterns for the aquarium hobby.
+The green swordtail prefers swift-flowing, heavily-vegetated rivers and streams, but is also found in warm springs and canals.  Omnivorous, its diet includes both plants and small [[crustacean]]s, [[insect]]s, and [[annelid]] worms.
-In the wild, the green swordtail prefers swift-flowing, heavily-vegetated rivers and streams. When kept in captivity, the swordtail enjoys a planted, 20 gallon+ aquarium. It is a communtiy fish, and can be kept with most other freshwater fish including other [[livebearers]] such as mollies and platies.  Omnivorous, its diet includes both plants and small [[crustacean]]s, [[insect]]s, and [[annelid]] worms.
+''X. hellerii'' has become a nuisance pest as an [[introduced species]] in a number of countries.  It has caused ecological damage because of its ability to rapidly reproduce in high numbers.  Feral populations have established themselves in southern [[Africa]], including [[KwaZulu-Natal Province|Natal]] and eastern [[Transvaal]] in [[South Africa]] and [[Lake Otjikoto]] in [[Namibia]].
-The green swordtail, is typically known simply as the '''swordtail''' in the aquarium hobby.  It is often designated ''X. helleri'' (with one ''i''), but authorities consider this an orthographic error and the spelling with two ''i''s is the valid specific epithet.
+One of the most popular [[tropical]] [[aquarium]] fish, the green swordtail has been bred into various hybrid forms for the aquarium hobby due to its hardiness and suitability for community tanks.
-This fish is great for begginer aqarists, and will breed readily in a community tank.
+The green swordtail, as the most common of the swordtail species (and in recognition of the fact that many captive-bred color varieties are not green), is typically known simply as the '''swordtail''' in the aquarium hobby.  It is often designated ''X. helleri'' (with one ''i''), but authorities consider this an orthographic error and the spelling with two ''i''s is the valid specific epithet.
 == References ==