Heterandria

Heterandria
Least killifish (H. formosa), adult female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Tribe: Heterandriini
Genus: Heterandria
Agassiz, 1853
Type species
Heterandria formosa
Girard, 1859[1]

Heterandria is a genus of livebearing fishes within the family Poeciliidae. Most species occur in Guatemala and its surroundings, particularly Mexico, but the midget livebearer (H. formosa) comes from the southeastern United States.

Though many Poecilidae are familiar aquarium fishes, e.g. guppies, mollies, platys and swordtails, species within Heterandria are not commonly kept as pets. Somewhat more frequently found in aquaria is H. formosa, perhaps because it is one of the smallest known fish species in the world; its diminutive males are probably the smallest fish easy to keep as a pet. Species in this genus resemble egg-laying Cyprinodontoidei such as Fundulidae (topminnows) at first glance, and are thus sometimes called "killifish" though this is technically erroneous.[2]

  1. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Heterandia". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  2. ^ FishBase (2009): Heterandria species. Retrieved April 8, 2009.