Goodeidae

Taxobox
name = Splitfins
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Cyprinodontiformes
familia = Goodeidae
subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies
subdivision =
Empetrichthyinae
Goodeinae See text for genera and species.

Splitfins, are a family, Goodeidae, of teleost fish endemic to Mexico and some areas of the United States. This family contains 40 species within 18 generaFishBase family | family = Goodeidae | month = February | year = 2006] cite journal | author=Webb, S.A., Graves, J.A., Macías-Garcia, C., Magurran, A.E., Ó Foighil, D. & Ritchie, M.G. | year=2004 | title=Molecular phylogeny of the livebearing Goodeidae (Cyprinodontiformes) | journal=Molecular Phylogenies and Evolution | volume=30 | pages=527 – 544 | doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00257-4] . The family is named after ichthyologist George Brown Goode.

Range and Geographic Distribution

The family is divided into two subfamilies, the Goodeinae and the Empetrichthyinae. The Goodeinae are endemic to shallow freshwater habitats in Mexico, particularly along the Mesa Central area, west of Mexico City, with some species found in brackish fringes at both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. There are 36 species of Goodeinae in 16 genera. The Empetrichthyinae are typically found in the southwestern Great Basin of the United States, and contains 4 species in two genera.

Physical Information

The name "Splitfins" comes from the fact that, in the male fish, the anterior rays of the anal fin are partly separated from rest of the fin. Splitfins can be up to 20 cm in length, though most species are much smaller, around 5cm. Goodeid fish have internal fertilisation, with males positioning themselves with a flexible part of the front anal fin, separated by a notch, which makes up the andropodium. Embryos hatch out of the egg within the womb, and possess trophotaenia, a ribbon-like structure unique to Goodeids, positioned in front of the anal fin on the dorsal surface of the juvenile. These allow the absorption of nutrients within the womb (matrotrophy), and are shed by juveniles shortly after birth. Female Goodeids do not store sperm, and so a copulation event must precede each pregnancy [Ellenberg, G. (2005) Goodeiden [Online] . Available: http://www.goodeiden.de] .

Conservation Status

In recent years there has been a significant reduction in the range and size of Goodeid populations in this region, mainly due to anthropogenic disturbances, such as pollution, eutrophication, habitat modification and desiccation; recent estimates put habitat loss at 80% compared to historic ranges [De la Vega-Salazar, M. Y. & Macías-García, C. (In press) "Principal Factors in the decline of the Mexican endemic viviparous fishes (Goodeinae: Goodeidae)". Ch. 33 in: H. J. Grier & M. C. Uribe (Eds.) Viviparous Fishes. Proceedings of I and II International Symposia. New Life Publications, Homestead FL, USA.] . The low economic importance of Goodeid fish to Mexican fisheries and industry has led to this family being largely ignored by conservation efforts, but their small size and the dedication of a small number of aquaria hobbyists has led to a recent increase in the amount of research dedicated to the family. These investigations have highlighted the implications for conservation efforts concerning other global freshwater ichthyofauna.

Several species are threatened or extinct according to the IUCN: [IUCN Red List - http://www.redlist.org]
* Vulnerable - Bold characodon, Darkedged splitfin, "Goodea gracilis", "Allotoca dugesii"
* Endangered - Bluetail splitfin, Rainbow characodon, Relict splitfin, Tequila splitfin, "Allotoca diazi"
* Critically Endangered - Blackspot allotoca, Chapultepec splitfin, Highland splitfin, Balsas splitfin
* Extinct in the Wild - Butterfly splitfin, Golden skiffia
* Extinct - Ash Meadows killifish, Parras characodon

Life Cycle and Evolution

The majority of Goodeid fish are viviparous, typically giving birth to live young. The family includes a number of popular aquarium fish, for example the redtail splitfin "Xenotoca eiseni". Recent phylogenetic studies have put the age of this family at approximately 16.5 million years, with the majority of divergence occurring in the Miocene period. The speciosity of this family can be attributed to historical volcanic and geological disturbance in this region, which created suitable conditions for allopatric speciation of the fish .

pecies

There are 40 species in 18 genera:
* Subfamily Empetrichthyinae
** Genus "Crenichthys"
***"Crenichthys baileyi"
**** "Crenichthys baileyi albivallis" Williams & Wilde, 1981.
**** White River springfish, "Crenichthys baileyi baileyi" Gilbert, 1893.
**** "Crenichthys baileyi grandis" Williams & Wilde, 1981.
**** "Crenichthys baileyi moapae" Williams & Wilde, 1981.
**** "Crenichthys baileyi thermophilus" Williams & Wilde, 1981.
*** Railroad Valley springfish, "Crenichthys nevadae" Hubbs, 1932.
** Genus "Empetrichthys"
*** "Empetrichthys latos" Miller, 1948.
**** Raycraft poolfish, "Empetrichthys latos concavus" Miller, 1948.
**** Manse Spring killifish, "Empetrichthys latos latos" Miller, 1948.
**** Pahrump ranch poolfish, "Empetrichthys latos pahrump" Miller, 1948.
*** Ash Meadows killifish, "Empetrichthys merriami" Gilbert, 1893.
* Subfamily Goodeinae
** Genus "Allodontichthys"
*** Whitepatched splitfin, "Allodontichthys hubbsi" Miller & Uyeno, 1980.
*** Finescale splitfin, "Allodontichthys polylepis" Rauchenberger, 1988.
*** Tuxpan splitfin, "Allodontichthys tamazulae" Turner, 1946.
*** Bandfin splitfin, "Allodontichthys zonistius" Hubbs, 1932.
** Genus "Alloophorus"
*** Bulldog goodeid, "Alloophorus robustus" Bean, 1892.
** Genus "Allotoca"
*** Catarina allotoca, "Allotoca catarinae" de Buen, 1942.
*** Patzcuaro allotoca, "Allotoca diazi" Meek, 1902.
*** Opal allotoca, "Allotoca dugesii" Bean, 1887.
*** Banded allotoca, "Allotoca goslinei" Smith & Miller, 1987.
*** Blackspot allotoca, "Allotoca maculata" Smith & Miller, 1980.
*** Zirahuen allotoca, "Allotoca meeki" Alvarez, 1959.
*** "Allotoca regalis" +++
*** Zacapu allotoca, "Allotoca zacapuensis" Meyer, Radda & Domínguez, 2001.
** Genus "Ameca"
*** Butterfly splitfin, "Ameca splendens" Miller & Fitzsimons, 1971.
** Genus "Ataeniobius"
*** Bluetail goodea, "Ataeniobius toweri" Meek, 1904.
** Genus "Chapalichthys"
*** Barred splitfin, "Chapalichthys encaustus" Jordan & Snyder, 1899.
*** Polka-dot splitfin, "Chapalichthys pardalis" Alvarez, 1963.
*** Alien splitfin, "Chapalichthys peraticus" Alvarez, 1963.
** Genus "Characodon"
*** Bold characodon, "Characodon audax" Smith & Miller, 1986.
*** Parras characodon, "Characodon garmani" Jordan & Evermann, 1898.
*** Rainbow characodon, "Characodon lateralis" Günther, 1866.
** Genus "Girardinichthys"
*** Darkedged splitfin, "Girardinichthys multiradiatus" Meek, 1904.
*** Chapultepec splitfin, "Girardinichthys viviparus" Bustamante, 1837.
** Genus "Goodea"
*** Blackfin goodea, "Goodea atripinnis" Jordan, 1880.
*** "Goodea gracilis" Hubbs & Turner, 1939.
** Genus "Hubbsina"
*** Highland splitfin, "Hubbsina turneri" de Buen, 1940.
*** "Girardinichthys ireneae" Radda & Meyer, 2003.
** Genus "Ilyodon"
*** Freckled splitfin, "Ilyodon cortesae" Paulo-Maya & Trujillo-Jiménez, 2000.
*** Goldbreast splitfin, "Ilyodon furcidens" Jordan & Gilbert, 1882.
*** Balsas splitfin, "Ilyodon whitei-lennoni" Meek, 1904.
*** Limones splitfin, "Ilyodon xantusi" Hubbs & Turner, 1939.
** Genus "Neoophorus"
*** Balsas Goodeid, "Neoophorus regalis" Alvarez, 1959.
** Genus "Neotoca"
*** Balsas Allotoca, "Neotoca bilineata" Bean, 1887.
** Genus "Skiffia"
*** Twoline skiffia, "Skiffia bilineata" Bean, 1887.
*** Golden skiffia, "Skiffia francesae" Kingston, 1978.
*** Olive skiffia, "Skiffia lermae" Meek, 1902.
*** Spotted skiffia, "Skiffia multipunctata" Pellegrin, 1901.
** Genus "Xenoophorus"
*** Relict splitfin, "Xenoophorus captivus" Hubbs, 1924.
** Genus "Xenotaenia"
*** Leopard splitfin, "Xenotaenia resolanae" Turner, 1946.
** Genus "Xenotoca"
*** Redtail splitfin, "Xenotoca eiseni" Rutter, 1896.
*** Black splitfin, "Xenotoca melanosoma" Fitzsimons, 1972.
*** Jeweled splitfin, "Xenotoca variata" Bean, 1887.
** Genus "Zoogoneticus"
*** Picotee goodeid, "Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis" Bean, 1898.
*** Tequila splitfin, "Zoogoneticus tequila" Webb & Miller, 1998.

References