Floridichthys carpio
Goldspotted Killifish
NS
GNR
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cyprinodontiformes
Cyprinodontidae (Pupfishes)
Floridichthys
Floridichthys carpio (Goldspotted Killifish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Relatively short, compressed, and deep bodied, with a short head and a blunt snout. Snout is moderately short, and dorsal profile of head is oblique. Mouth is terminal, small, and moderately oblique. Lower jaw extends slightly beyond upper jaw. Jaw teeth are tricuspid and in single series. Eye diameter is slightly greater than lower jaw length, less than interorbital width, and slightly less than snout length. Gill rakers on first arch are rather short and stout and number 12. Operculum is connected to shoulder girdle above pectoral fin base. In males, snout length is 10% to 11.8%, head length is 31.1% to 38.5%, body depth is 34.9% to 43.8%, snout to dorsal fin origin is 54.6% to 58.3%, snout to anal fin origin is 64.4% to 69.1%, and caudal peduncle depth is 19% to 21% of SL. In females, snout length is 7.8% to 12%, head length is 31.6% to 33.1%, body depth is 33.9% to 40.7%, snout to dorsal fin origin is 47.3% to 52.9%, snout to anal fin origin is 61.6% to 66.7%, and caudal peduncle depth is 15.8% to 21.5% of SL. Pectoral fin is broad and has 16 to 18 rays. Dorsal fin originates slightly anterior to mid-distance between snout and caudal fin base and has 11 or 12 rays. Pelvic fin insertion is slightly anterior to dorsal fin origin. Anal fin has 9 or 10 rays, and fin rays of males are considerably longer than those of females. Caudal fin is broadly rounded. Lateral scale rows number 23 to 25. Scale above pectoral fin base (humeral) is of normal size.
Males are olive colored, with silvery side and 6 to 8 faint, narrow, and irregular bands on lower side. Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are speckled with olive, forming radiating bands. Females are pale, with numerous blotches of light orange on side and light orange on dorsal and caudal fins.
Distribution
Western North Atlantic from central-eastern Florida (Cape Canaveral) to Cape San Bias, Florida; in the eastern Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Along the shoreline, in saline tidal flats and creeks, and is less common in brackish water; associated with seagrass beds
Seagrass beds
Biology
Maximum known size is 65 mm TL
Mostly found in marine, on tidal flats and creeks, but enters brackish water (Ref. 7251). Not a seasonal killifish. Is difficult to maintain in aquarium (Ref. 27139).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders; parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2014-01-09.
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from the other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Hubbs 1936
Tabb and Manning 1961
Rosen 1973
Relyea 1983
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Motta, P.J., K.B. Clifton, P. Hernandez, B.T. Eggold, S.D. Giordano and R. Wilcox (1995) Feeding relationships among nine species of seagrass fishes of Tampa Bay, Florida. Bull. Mar. Sci. 56(1):185-200.
Huber, J.H. (1996) Killi-Data 1996. Updated checklist of taxonomic names, collecting localities and bibliographic references of oviparous Cyprinodont fishes (Atherinomorpha, Pisces). Société Française d'Ichtyologie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, 399 p.
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