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Cyprinodontiformes

(Order)

Overview

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The Cyprinodontiformes is an 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. A colloquial term for the order as a whole is toothcarps, though they are not actually close relatives of the true carps – the latter belong to the superorder Ostariophysi, while the toothcarps are Acanthopterygii.

The families of Cyprinodontiformes can be divided into three groups: viviparous and ovoviviparous (all species give live birth), and oviparous (all species egg-laying). The live-bearing groups differ in whether the young are carried to term within (ovoviviparous) or without (viviparous) an enclosing eggshell. Phylogenetically however, one of the two suborders – the Aplocheiloidei – contains oviparous species exclusively, as do two of the four superfamilies of the other suborder (the Cyprinodontoidea and Valencioidea of the Cyprinodontoidei). Vivipary and ovovivipary have evolved independently from oviparous ancestors, the latter possibly twice.

Description

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Fundulopanchax scheeli, a killifish of the Aplocheilidae.

Members of this order are notable for inhabiting harsh environments, such as saline or very warm waters, water of poor quality, or isolated situations where no other types of fish occur. They are typically omnivores, and often live near the surface, where the oxygen-rich water compensate s for environmental disadvantages.

They are small to medium fish, with small mouths, large eyes, a single dorsal fin, and a rounded caudal fin. The largest species is the custro ojos (Anableps dowi), which measures 32 centimetres (13 in) in length, while the smallest, the least killifish (Hetrandia formosa), is just 8 millimetres (0.31 in) long as an adult.[1]

Systematics

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Guppy, a live-bearer of the Poeciliidae.

ORDER CYPRINODONTIFORMES

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Order Cyprinodontiformes is further organized into finer groupings including:

Families

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Anablepidae

Anablepidae is a family of and brackish water fishes living on river estuaries from southern Mexico to southern South America. There are three genera with sixteen species: the four-eyed fishes (genus Anableps), the onesided livebearers (genus Jenynsia) and the white-eye, Oxyzygonectes dovii. Fish of this family eat mostly insects and other invertebrates. [more]

Aplocheilidae

Aplocheilidae are a of bony fishes containing about 15 species. Formerly, the name "Aplocheilidae" was used for the Aplocheiloidei as a whole, i.e. including the Nothobranchiidae of Africa and the mainly South American Rivulidae as subfamilies. This obsolete system is sometimes still seen, e.g. in ITIS. [more]

Cyprinodontidae

Pupfish are a group of small belonging to ten genera of the family Cyprinodontidae of ray-finned fish. All pupfish are especially noted for being found in extreme and isolated situations, in various parts of North America, South America, and the Caribbean region. As of August 2006 there are 120 nominal species, and 9 subspecies. [more]

Fundulidae

Fundulidae is the family of topminnows and (mainly) North American . The 46 species are native to North America as far south as Yucatan, and to the islands of Bermuda and Cuba, occurring in both freshwater and marine environments. [more]

Goodeidae

Splitfins, are a family, Goodeidae, of fish endemic to Mexico and some areas of the United States. This family contains 40 species within 18 genera. The family is named after ichthyologist George Brown Goode. [more]

Poeciliidae

Poeciliidae is a family of fresh-water which are live-bearing aquarium fish (they give birth to live young). They belong to the order Cyprinodontiformes, tooth-carps, and include well-known aquarium fish like the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail. The original distribution of the family was South eastern United States to North of Rio de la Plata Argentina, and central and southern Africa, including Madagascar. However, due to release of aquarium specimens and the widespread use of species of the genera Poecilia and Gambusia for mosquito control, poeciliids can today be found in all tropical and subtropical areas of the world. [more]

Profundulidae

[more]

Rivulidae

Rivulidae are a 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 –, nor are they the only killifishes from the Americas. Occasionally they are still referred to as rivulines, a term dating back to when they were considered a subfamily of the Aplocheilidae. [more]

Valenciidae

[more]

More info about the Family Valenciidae may be found here.

References

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  1. ^ Parenti, Lynne R. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 148-151. ISBN 0-12-547665-5. 

Sources

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Last Revised: September 22, 2009
2009/09/22 07:47:22