Gambusia


Gambusia is a large genus of viviparous fish in the family Poeciliidae. Gambusia contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats, though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater habitats. The genus Gambusia comes from the Cuban term Gambusino which means 'free-lance miner'. The type species is the Cuban gambusia, G. punctata. The greatest species richness is in Mexico, Texas, and the Greater Antilles, but species are also found elsewhere in the eastern and southern United States, the Bahamas, Central America, and Colombia. Gambusia species are often called topminnows, or simply gambusias; they are also known as mosquitofish, which, however, refers more specifically to two species, G. affinis and G. holbrooki, which are often introduced into ponds to eat mosquito larvae. As a consequence, they have been introduced widely outside their native range, and frequently become invasive, threatening local species. G. affinis and G. holbrooki are now established in many parts of the world and are likely to continue to spread as climatic conditions change. They are only occasionally kept in aquariums, due to their relative lack of color and the highly aggressive nature of the aforementioned mosquitofish species.
Nine species are listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List; two, the widemouth gambusia, G. eurystoma, and the crescent gambusia, G. hurtadoi, are critically endangered; and two, the Amistad gambusia, G. amistadensis, and the San Marcos gambusia, G. georgei, are already extinct.

Species

The 45 currently recognized species in this genus are:
  • Gambusia affinis
  • Gambusia alvarezi C. Hubbs & V. G. Springer, 1957
  • †Gambusia amistadensis Peden, 1973
  • Gambusia atrora D. E. Rosen & R. M. Bailey, 1963
  • Gambusia aurata R. R. Miller & W. L. Minckley, 1970
  • Gambusia baracoana Rivas, 1944
  • Gambusia beebei G. S. Myers, 1935
  • Gambusia bucheri Rivas, 1944
  • Gambusia clarkhubbsi G. P. Garrett & R. J. Edwards, 2003
  • Gambusia dominicensis Regan, 1913
  • Gambusia echeagarayi
  • Gambusia eurystoma R. R. Miller, 1975
  • Gambusia gaigei C. L. Hubbs, 1929
  • Gambusia geiseri C. Hubbs & C. L. Hubbs, 1957
  • †Gambusia georgei C. Hubbs & Peden, 1969
  • Gambusia heterochir C. Hubbs, 1957
  • Gambusia hispaniolae W. L. Fink, 1971
  • Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859
  • Gambusia hurtadoi C. Hubbs & V. G. Springer, 1957
  • Gambusia krumholzi W. L. Minckley, 1963
  • Gambusia lemaitrei Fowler, 1950
  • Gambusia longispinis W. L. Minckley, 1962
  • Gambusia luma D. E. Rosen & R. M. Bailey, 1963
  • Gambusia manni C. L. Hubbs, 1927
  • Gambusia marshi W. L. Minckley & Craddock, 1962
  • Gambusia melapleura
  • Gambusia monticola Rivas, 1971
  • Gambusia myersi C. G. E. Ah, 1925
  • Gambusia nicaraguensis Günther, 1866
  • Gambusia nobilis
  • Gambusia panuco C. L. Hubbs, 1926
  • Gambusia pseudopunctata Rivas, 1969
  • Gambusia punctata Poey, 1854
  • Gambusia puncticulata Poey, 1854
  • Gambusia quadruncus Langerhans, Gifford, Domínguez-Domínguez, García-Bedoya & T. J. DeWitt, 2012
  • Gambusia regani C. L. Hubbs, 1926
  • Gambusia rhizophorae Rivas, 1969
  • Gambusia senilis Girard, 1859
  • Gambusia sexradiata C. L. Hubbs, 1936
  • Gambusia speciosa Girard, 1859
  • Gambusia vittata C. L. Hubbs, 1926
  • Gambusia wrayi Regan, 1913
  • Gambusia xanthosoma D. W. Greenfield, 1983
  • Gambusia yucatana Regan, 1914
  • Gambusia zarskei M. K. Meyer, Schories & Schartl, 2010