Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) > Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Poecilia: Greek, poikilos = with a lot of colours (Ref. 45335); latipinna: From the latin word latus (stem lat), meaning wide, broad, and pinna for fin (Ref. 79012).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; non-migratory; depth range 0 - ? m (Ref. 55263). Subtropical; 20°C - 28°C (Ref. 2060), preferred ?; 40°N - 16°N, 103°W - 76°W (Ref. 55263)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

North America: Cape Fear drainage in North Carolina, USA to Veracruz, Mexico. Introduced to many countries. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction. Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 26938).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); 10.0 cm TL (female); common length : 3.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

The large sail-like dorsal fin of the male is the most distinctive characteristic of this fish; coloration can vary from green, gray to jet black; speckled forms also common (Ref. 44091).

Found in still or gently flowing warm water of small creeks and drains (Ref. 44894). Occurs in ponds, lakes, sloughs, and quiet, often vegetated, backwaters and pools of streams (Ref. 5723) and also in coastal waters (Ref. 7251). Abundant in tidal ditches and brackish canals. Feeds mainly on algae (Refs. 7251; 44091), also consumes animal material: rotifers, small crustaceans (such as copepods and ostracods) and aquatic insects (Ref. 79012).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

After 28 days gestation, this species produces 10 to 100 young.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Potential pest

Human uses

Aquarium: highly commercial

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Internet sources

Poecilia latipinna (Lesueur, 1821)