Species learning profile
Southern platyfish
Xiphophorus maculatus
Southern platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in Central America. Females give birth to fully formed free-swimming young.
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At a glance
- Perairan
- Air tawar
- Habitat
- Sungai
- Panjang maksimum
- 7 cm
- Sebaran
- Central America
- Famili
- Poeciliidae
- Ordo
- Cyprinodontiformes
Observe
How to identify Southern platyfish
- Females give birth to fully formed free-swimming young.
- Guide context: river habitat in Central America.
- Reported maximum length: 7 cm — about hand-length or smaller. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across Central America. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Forages socially among dense plants
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Algae, insects, and small crustaceans.
Ecological role
Consumes algae and mosquito larvae.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Southern platyfish dapat tumbuh hingga sekitar 7 cm dan sering ditemukan di sekitar Sungai.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Southern platyfish in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections