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Xiphophorus hellerii

Heckel, 1848

Green Swordtail

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105074
Element CodeAFCNC06010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCyprinodontiformes
FamilyPoeciliidae
GenusXiphophorus
Synonyms
Xiphophorus helleriHeckel, 1848
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-09-20
Change Date1996-09-20
Range Extent Comments
Native on Atlantic slope from Rio Nautla, Veracruz, Mexico, to northwestern Honduras. Established in Trudeau and Beaverhead Rock ponds, Madison County, Montana; Warms Springs Creek, Clark County, Idaho; Kelly Warm Spring, Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming (Courtenay et al. 1987); in canals near Tampa, Hillsborough county, Florida; and (as a hybrid with southern platyfish) Indian spring, Clark County, Nevada; abundant at some localities (Page and Burr 1991). Has been collected, but is not known to be presently established, in Alberta, Arizona, and California (Robins et al. 1991).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Lotic habitats in native range. Apparently has little tolerance for brackish water. North America: warm springs and their effluents, weedy canals, and ponds (Page and Burr 1991).

Reproduction

Live bearer.
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaSNANo
WyomingSNANo
FloridaSNANo
NevadaSNANo
IdahoSNANo
Roadless Areas (4)
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Italian PeakCaribou-Targhee National Forest141,158
Lemhi RangeSalmon-Challis National Forest308,533
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
Spread Creek - Gros Ventre RiverBridger-Teton National Forest166,097
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
References (12)
  1. Courtenay, W. R., Jr., et al. 1987. Records of exotic fishes from Idaho and Wyoming. Great Basin Nat. 47:523-526.
  2. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  3. Meffe, G. K., and F. F. Snelson, Jr., editors. 1989. Ecology and evolution of livebearing fishes (Poeciliidae). Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. 453 pp.
  4. Metcalfe, C. D. 1989. Tests for predicting carcinogenicity in fish. Reviews in Aquatic Sciences 1(1):111-129.
  5. Moyle, P. B. 1976a. Inland fishes of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. 405 pp.
  6. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  7. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  8. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  9. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  10. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  11. Powers, D. A. 1989. Fish as model systems. Science 246:352-358.
  12. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.