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Cyprinodonts-Cyprinodontiformes

Discussion in 'Fish Profiles' started by MOD_Dawn, Jun 23, 2009.

  1. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Cyprinodonts

    General:
    The cyprinodonts, or toothcarps, include many highly popular aquarium fish.
    This large group, with more than 1,000 species, is represented on all continents except Australia.
    Without exception, these are speceis that never grow very large.
    They are classified into highly diverse families.
    The best-known egg-laying cyprindonts are the killifish of the family Aplocheilidae (old world) and Rivulidae (new world).
    They include old-world rivulines (sub-family Aplochelinae) and new-world rivulines (sub-family Rivulinae).
    Some also assign the (egg-laying) Priapella intermedia to the killifish, though they belong in the family Poeciliidae, along with the live-bearing toothcarp.
    The splitfins (Goodeidae) of Central America, which are also live-bearing, constitute a seperate family.

    Toothcarps-Perfect "Survival Artists"

    Female live-bearing toothcarps are inseminated by the males' specially modified anal fin (gonopodium).
    The eggs of many egg-laying cyprinodonts can survive buried in the riverbed mud when the waters of their habitat dry up completely.
    The parents themselves perish, however.
    The fry hatch out with the onset of the next rainy season.
    Cyprinodontiformes.jpg
     
    MOD_Dawn, Jun 23, 2009
    #1