Poecilia picta
| Swamp guppy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Gold morph males | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Poeciliidae |
| Genus: | Poecilia |
| Species: | P. picta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Poecilia picta Regan, 1913
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Poecilia picta, the swamp guppy, is a species of
brackish
environments.
Taxonomy
P. picta forms a
P. reticulata.[2] Some authorities place the species in the genus Poecilia, subgenus Lebistes, along with P. reticulata, P. parae, P. branneri, and P. amazonica; others place it in the genus Micropoecilia along with P. parae and P. branneri.[3]
Description
Males grow to about 18 mm; females reach
color morphs exist in the wild among males: standard, red, and gold. The colorful forms are known from mainland populations but not from the insular.[2]
Distribution and habitat
P. picta is
Caribbean islands, a range it shares with the closely related guppies P. reticulata and P. parae.[2][5]
P. picta occurs in lowland habitats such as slowly-flowing waters at
aquatic plants.[4]
Ecology
P. picta is
omnivorous, feeding on cyanobacteria and animal matter.[6]
Potential prey on fish.[4]
Reproduction
P. picta is a
livebearer.[4] Males engage in a courtship display which involves circling the female's head and may be accepted or rejected by females. In stark contrast to the closely related P. reticulata and P. parae, P. picta females show no preference for males with pronounced red or orange coloration.[2] Females carry only one brood at a time. Larger females deliver more fry, with the number normally ranging from 7 to 11,[4] but can reach 25 too.[7]
References
- . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ PMID 26529081.
- PMID 10381313. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ JSTOR 1446155. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ S2CID 82217404. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Sanchez, Jessica L.; Bracken-Grissom, Heather; Trexler, Joel C. (2019). "Freshwater-to-marine transitions may explain the evolution of herbivory in the subgenus Mollienesia (genus Poecilia, mollies and guppies)". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 27 (4): 753. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- . Retrieved 3 January 2024.