Taxonomy of Finfish (1+2)

4.2.26 Xiphophorrus helleri helleri

Family: poecillidae

Genus: xiphophorus

English  name: Swordtail

Origin: Central America

Size: Males to 10 cm: females to 12 cm

Habitat: Found in a wide variety of waters.

Shape, coloring and markings:

The body is lender and laterally somewhat compressed. The monopodium has well developed hooks and the sword is long. The dorsal and caudal fins are relatively large. The basic coloration of the common wild fish is a pale olive brown: the back is often a bright green: the belly is silver. Along the body runs a red stripe which turns black on the caudal peduncle and becomes the black edge to the sword which in the center may be green, yellow, orange or red. There is no significant difference between the color patterns of the males and the females. These natural colors are however quite different from those of many varieties found in the aquarium and briefly noted below.