| Family: |
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids), subfamily: Poeciliinae |
| Max. size: |
4.7 cm TL (male/unsexed); 8 cm TL (female); max. reported age: 1 years |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; freshwater; brackish; pH range: 6 - 8.80000019073486; dH range: 40, potamodromous |
| Distribution: |
Introduced worldwide in tropical and subtropical countries. North America: Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from New Jersey south to Alabama in USA (Ref. 5723). Established throughout southern Europe (Ref. 59043). Introduced for mosquito control, but had rare to non-existing effects on mosquitoes, and negative to perhaps neutral impact on native fishes (Ref. 12217). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 9-9 |
| Biology: |
Adults occur in standing to slow-flowing water, mostly in vegetated ponds and lakes, backwaters and quiet pools of steams (Ref. 5723), typically seen shoaling at the edges (Ref. 44894). They also frequent brackish water (Ref. 5723). Adults feed on small terrestrial insects usually in the drift and amongst aquatic plants, actively selecting very small prey (Ref. 6154). Also observed to take in mosquito larvae (Ref. 41168). Introduced worldwide. Introductions to Europe have seriously threatened many endemic species (Ref. 59043). It is now widely accepted that their effect has been minimal and even may have exacerbated the problem due to their voracious appetite for natural invertebrate predators of mosquito larvae (Ref. 44894). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 06 February 2012 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
potential pest |
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