- California killifish
Taxobox
name = California killifish
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Cyprinodontiformes
familia =Fundulidae
genus = "Fundulus "
species = "F. parvipinnis"
binomial = "Fundulus parvipinnis"
binomial_authority = Girard,1854 The California killifish, "Fundulus parvipinnis", is a type of
killifish (Fundulidae ) found along the coast of southernCalifornia andBaja California .Like the other members of the family, California killifish are small, no more than about 11 cm in length. The body is rather thick and oblong in shape, with almost no narrowing of the caudal peduncle, and a squarish tail fin. The
pelvic fin s are small, while theanal fin is long, with 11-13 rays. They are olive-green above, and a yellowish brown below; during breeding season, the back become dark brown, while the belly and paired fins become bright yellow.They are coastal fish, occurring in shallow bays, estuaries, marshes, and the lower parts of streams from
Morro Bay south toMagdalena Bay in central Baja California. BetweenGoleta Slough and theTijuana River they occur almost continuously, the frequency of wetlands being sufficient to allow free movement. They tolerate a wide range of salinities, oxygen levels, and pollution.The diet consists of a variety of both
benthic andplankton ic invertebrates, anything from snails to crustaceans to insects, often found by foraging through areas of vegetation flooded by high tides.This species and the
Baja killifish "F. limi" are the only members of "Fundulus" on the west coast of the continent, and are distinct from the rest of the genus, which is limited to the east coast. It has been suggested that they may form a separate genus.References
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*Peter B. Moyle , "Inland Fishes of California" (University of California Press, 2002), pp. 313-315
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