Monterrey platyfish
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| Monterrey Platyfish | ||||||||||||||
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| Xiphophorus couchianus (Girard, 1859) |
The Monterrey platyfish (Xiphophorus couchianus) is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to the vicinity of Monterrey, Mexico.
IUCN lists the Monterrey platyfish, formerly widespread in Mexico, as Critically Endangered, upgraded from Endangered in 1996. The fish's population, numbering fewer than 250 individuals, is falling rapidly and is confined to a very small area, occurring only in fragmented pockets of habitat populated by few individuals. It is additionally suffering from environmental degradation.
X. couchianus is harvested for the aquarium fish trade. It has also been used for genetic research.
Sexual dimorphism is moderate, the male Monterrey platyfish growing to a maximum overall length of 4.0 cm (1.6 in) and the female 6.0 cm (2.4 in).
[edit] References
- Contreras-Balderas & Almada-Villela (1996). Xiphophorus couchianus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR A1ce+2ce, B1+2abc, C2a v2.3)
- "Xiphophorus couchianus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. October 2004 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2004.
- Xiphophorus couchianus (TSN 647737). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 9 December 2004.
