Scientific Name
Phallichthys amates

Common Name
Merry widow livebearer

Biology
Robust body gray with bluish highlights, deep and almost rhomboid. Males with very long gonopodium that reaches the base of the tail; together with the young, with 6 - 8 dark bars (diffused in females) (Ref. 36880).

Classification

Classified By

Miller, 1907

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Live bearers, Killifishes and Rivulines (Cyprinodontiformes)

Family

Poeciliids (Poeciliidae)

Distribution

Region

Central America

Distribution

Central America: Atlantic drainages, from southern Guatemala to Costa Rica and Panama.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

27 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Freshwater; ; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 9 - 19 demersal; non-migratory

Trophic Level

2.29 s.e. 0.17 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

7.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (26 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated