Common names from other countries
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Gambusia: Gambusia: From the Cuban term, Gambusino, which means "nothing", usually in the context of a joke or a farce. Fishing for gambusinos = when one catches nothing (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic. Tropical; 25°C - 26°C (Ref. 36880)
Central America: Guatemala to Panama.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30499); 4.1 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Head and body gray. A triangular black blotch below the eye. Caudal fin with 6 - 7 black spots forming a vertical series in the center of the fin; sometimes there are similar spots on the dorsal fin. Anal fin dusky. Snout pointed. Dorsal fin inserts behind the end of the anal-fin base (Ref. 36880).
Collected only on three occasions in the mouth of slow-moving streams, in brackish or fresh waters within a few meters of the sea. Swims in small groups near the surface over sandy or muddy bottoms at temperatures of 25-26°C. Feeds on aquatic insects (Ref. 36880).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Lucinda, P.H.F., 2003. Poeciliidae (Livebearers). p. 555-581. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brazil. (Ref. 50894)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
CITES (Ref. 128078)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00813 (0.00354 - 0.01865), b=3.16 (2.97 - 3.35), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.40 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).