Other Free Encyclopedias :: Animal Life Resource :: Fishes and Other Cold-Blooded Vertebrates

Killifishes and Live-Bearers: Cyprinodontiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Largescale Foureyes (anableps Anableps): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, KILLIFISHES AND LIVE-BEARERS AND PEOP

LARGESCALE FOUREYES (Anableps anableps): SPECIES ACCOUNTS
GREEN SWORDTAIL (Xiphophorus hellerii): SPECIES ACCOUNTS
BLACKFIN PEARL KILLIFISH (Austrolebias nigripinnis): SPECIES ACCOUNTS

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Killifishes live all over the world. Live-bearers live in North, Central, and South America.

HABITAT

Killifishes and live-bearers live in heavily planted streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, desert springs, salt marshes, estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez) or areas where a river meets the sea, and coastal waters. Some live in temporary bodies of water such as puddles and ditches.

DIET

Killifishes and live-bearers eat fish, plants, invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts) or animals without a backbone, animal plankton, waste material, and algae. Plankton are microscopic plants and, in this case, animals drifting in water. Algae (AL-jee) are plantlike growths that live in water and have no true roots, stems, or leaves. Some species of live-bearers eat members of their own species.

KILLIFISHES AND LIVE-BEARERS AND PEOPLE

Some killifishes and live-bearers are eaten. Others are sold as bait. They all help people by eating mosquitos. Aquarium hobbyists keep many species of killifishes and live-bearers. These fishes also are used in medical research.

PRETTY AND PRACTICAL

The beauty of many killifishes and live-bearers has led to their being featured on the postage stamps of several countries, which aids in stimulating an interest in conservation efforts.