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

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{{Taxobox  
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{{Taxobox
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| image = Elacatinus evelynae.jpg
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| color = pink
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| image_caption = ''Elacatinus evelynae''
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| name = Green Swordtail
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| status =
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secure
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| image = Xiphophorus_helleri_02.jpg
 
| image_width = 250px
 
| image_width = 250px
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| status = LC
 
 
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
 
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
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| phylum = [[Chordata]]
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| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
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| classis = [[Perciformes]]
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| classis = [[Actinopterygii]]
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| ordo = [[Perciformes]]
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| ordo = [[Cyprinodontiformes]]
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| familia = [[Gobiidae]]
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| familia = [[Poeciliidae]]
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| genus = '''''Elacatinus'''''
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| genus = ''[[Xiphophorus]]''
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| genus_authority = [[David Starr Jordan|Jordan]], 1904
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| species = '''''X. hellerii'''''
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| subdivision_ranks = Species
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| binomial = ''Xiphophorus hellerii''
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| subdivision = see text
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| binomial_authority = [[Heckel (taxonomy)|Heckel]], [[1848]]
 
}}
 
}}
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:''For the genus of butterflies commonly known as swordtails, see [[Graphium]].''
  
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'''''Elacatinus''''' (formerly '''''Gobisoma''''') is a genus of marine [[Goby|gobies]], often known collectively as the '''neon gobies'''. Although only one species, ''E. oceanops'', is technically the "neon goby," because of their extremely similar appearance other members of the genus are generally labeled neon gobies as well.
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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]].
  
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==Description==
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[[Image:Swordtail cultivar.JPG|thumb|left|Cultivated form of ''X. hellerii.'']]
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Neon gobies are very small, [[torpedo]]-shaped fish. Although sizes vary slightly by species, they are generally about 2.5&nbsp;cm (1&nbsp;inch) long.<ref>E. oceanops, Fishbase. http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3876</ref> They have dark bodies with iridescent stripes (the color of which varies by species) running from the tip of the nose to the base of the [[caudal fin]]. Like all gobies, their dorsal fin is split in two, the anterior [[dorsal fin]] being rounded like that of a [[clownfish]] and the posterior dorsal fin being relatively flat. The [[anal fin]] lines up with the posterior dorsal fin and is of similar shape. The [[pectoral fin]]s are nearly circular, and, like all other fins, transparent.
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The male green swordtail grows to a maximum overall length of 14cm (5.5in) and the female to 16 cm (6.3 in).
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The name "swordtail" is commonly but mistakenly believed to be derived form the elongated lower lobe of the male's [[caudal fin]] (tailfin), but is actually derived from the sword shaped anal fin of the male. [[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.
  
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==Ecology==
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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.
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Neon gobies are native to the tropical reefs of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], from [[Texas]] to [[Belize]],<ref>Elacatinus Range, Fishbase. http://www.fishbase.org/Country/CountryList.cfm?ID=3876&GenusName=Elacatinus&SpeciesName=oceanops</ref> where they live primarily in the rocks. They are well-documented cleaner fish, setting up stations where often much larger fish (sometimes even fish who would normally eat the gobies) come to have the gobies eat their small external parasites.<ref>Neon Goby Cleaner Fish Behavior. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1968&articleid=2715</ref> This is an excellent example of [[symbiosis]] – the cleaned fish are healthier and the gobies have not only an excellent food source but also relative protection from potential predators.
 
  
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==In the aquarium==
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''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]].
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Members of the genus ''Elacatinus'', particularly ''E. oceanops'', are among the most popular marine aquarium inhabitants.
 
  
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Several species of neon goby are readily available because of successful captive breeding programs, although scientific names are not always given. Generally, if the specimen has a blue stripe, it can be identified as ''E. oceanops'', and if the stripe is half-blue half-gold, as ''E. evelynae''. Various species are offered as "Gold Neon Gobies".
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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.
  
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Neon gobies are not difficult to keep, and accept a wide variety of water parameters. Specific gravity is not critical, so long as it remains steady. As with all marine aquarium fish, they are sensitive to even trace amounts of [[ammonia]] or [[nitrite]] in an aquarium. Small amounts of nitrate are acceptable, but if over the long term these amounts increase this can cause problems. Neon gobies are tolerant of a broad range of temperatures, but they are tropical so a heater may be necessary to maintain a temperature of at least 25°C (78°F) year round. Other parameters, such as [[alkalinity]] only become a problem if they are extreme.
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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.  Due to interbreeding with the [[southern platyfish]] or "platy" most "swordtail" in the aquarium are hybrids to some degree.
  
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Because of their small size, neon gobies are excellent Nano Reef inhabitants, and can live in tanks as small as five gallons, but a ten gallon or larger tank is more appropriate for best health (and ease of care). In larger tanks they can be kept in groups. Neon gobies are suitable for all types of marine aquariums, with the exception of those which contain large predatory fish or invertebrates which might attempt to eat the gobies. They need plenty of hiding places, and they make excellent reef inhabitants. They are not picky eaters, and will accept any and all frozen or live foods. They can also be easily trained to take flake or pellet foods, but a variety of frozen, freeze dried, and live foods to supplement a prepared staple is the best feeding routine. They are sometimes shy eaters and may be out-competed for food by more boisterous and aggressive feeders.
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The males' elongated caudal fins have been found to significantly affect their chances at mating. The presence of a well-endowed male spurs the maturity of females while it inhibits the maturity of juvenile males in the vicinity as the well-endowed male.<ref name="YNscienceattraction">{{cite news | title =In the science of sexual attraction, size matters  | work =Yahoo! Science News | language =english | publisher =Yahoo! Inc | date =[[2007-02-13]] | url =http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070214/sc_nm/science_size_dc_1 | accessdate = 2007-02-14 }}</ref><ref name="LiveScience1">{{cite news | last =Choi | first =Charles Q. | title =Male Bling Makes Female Fish Mature Faster | work =LiveScience Animaldomain | publisher =Imaginova Corp. | date =[[2007-02-13]] | url =http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070213_sight_sex.html | accessdate = 2007-02-14 }}</ref><ref name="YNLiveScience1">{{cite news | last =Choi | first =Charles Q. | title =Male Bling Makes Female Fish Mature Faster | work =Yahoo! Science News | publisher =Yahoo!, Inc. | date =[[2007-02-13]]
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  | url =http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20070214/sc_livescience/maleblingmakesfemalefishmaturefaster | accessdate =  }}</ref>
  
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If kept in pristine conditions and fed well neon gobies will readily spawn in home aquaria. A species or breeding tank is required, as the fry are small and will be eaten by most other fish. The gobies are [[sexually dimorphic]], but the difference is not easy to ascertain so they are normally kept in large groups to ensure a balance of sexes. They will lay their eggs on any hard surface along the bottom, and the fry, which feed on small rotifers or other microscopic organisms, are fully developed within a month. The average lifespan for a neon goby is approximately a year to a year and a half.<ref>Fenner, Robert M. ''The Conscientious Marine Aquarist''. Neptune City, NJ, USA: T.F.H. Publications, 2001.</ref>
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==References==
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{{reflist|2}}
  
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==Species==
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==External links==
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*'' '''E. atronasus''' '' <br>
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{{commons|Xiphophorus helleri}}
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[[Image:Elacatinus atronasum.JPG|250px]]
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* {{FishBase_species|genus=Xiphophorus|species=hellerii|year=2004|month=October}}
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*'' '''E. chancei''' '' <br> 
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* {{ITIS|taxon=Xiphophorus hellerii|ID=647013|year=2004|date=9 December}}
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[[Image:Elacatinus chancei.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'' '''E. evelynae''' '' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus evelinae.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. figaro''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus figaro.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. genie''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus genie.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. horsti''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus horsti.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. illecebrosum'''''<br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus illecebrosum.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. jarocho''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus jarocho.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. lori''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus lori.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. louisae''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus louisae.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. oceanops''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus oceanops.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. pridisi''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus pridisi.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. prochilos''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus prochilos.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. randalli''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus randalli.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. tenox''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus tenox.JPG|250px]]
 
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*'''''E. xanthiprora''''' <br>
 
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[[Image:Elacatinus xanthiprora.JPG|250px]]
 
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==See also==
 
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{{Marine Life Portal}}
 
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*[[Goby]]
 
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==References==
 
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{{commonscat}}
 
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{{Wikispecies}}
 
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{{Reflist}}
 
  
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[[Category:Gobiidae]]
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[[Category:Live-bearing fish]]
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[[Category:Ovoviviparous fish]]
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[[Category:Introduced freshwater fish of New Zealand]]
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[[Category:Poeciliidae]]
  
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[[de:Elacatinus]]
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[[da:Sværddrager]]
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[[de:Schwertträger]]
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[[fr:Xipho]]
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[[it:Xiphophorus helleri]]
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[[he:סייפן (דג)]]
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[[nl:Zwaarddrager]]
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[[ja:ソードテール]]
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[[no:Sverddrager]]
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[[pl:Mieczyk Hellera]]
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[[pt:Xiphophorus hellerii]]
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[[ru:Зелёный меченосец]]
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[[fi:Miekkapyrstö]]
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[[sv:Svärdbärare]]
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[[tr:Kılıçkuyruk]]
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[[uk:Мечоносець]]
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[[zh:劍尾魚]]

Revision as of 20:05, 16 December 2007

Template:Taxobox

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" is commonly but mistakenly believed to be derived form the elongated lower lobe of the male's caudal fin (tailfin), but is actually derived from the sword shaped anal fin of the male. 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. Due to interbreeding with the southern platyfish or "platy" most "swordtail" in the aquarium are hybrids to some degree.

The males' elongated caudal fins have been found to significantly affect their chances at mating. The presence of a well-endowed male spurs the maturity of females while it inhibits the maturity of juvenile males in the vicinity as the well-endowed male.&&&

References

  1. ↑ Template:Cite news
  2. ↑ Template:Cite news
  3. ↑ Template:Cite news

External links

Template:Commons

da:Sværddrager de:Schwertträger fr:Xipho it:Xiphophorus helleri he:סייפן (דג) nl:Zwaarddrager ja:ソードテール no:Sverddrager pl:Mieczyk Hellera pt:Xiphophorus hellerii ru:Зелёный меченосец fi:Miekkapyrstö sv:Svärdbärare tr:Kılıçkuyruk uk:Мечоносець zh:劍尾魚

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