Goodeids in the Wild

Posted by Shari Horowitz in Tropical Fish Hobbyist Blog on March 30, 2012 at 7:59 am

The dusky goodea (Goodea gracilis).

By Charles Clapsaddle

In the “Life with Livebearers” column in the May 2012 issue of TFH, the plight of the dusky goodea (Goodea gracilis) was discussed. The dusky goodea is just one example of a goodeid in trouble, in fact according to Dr. John Lyons and the ALA, most of the goodeids are in danger in their native habitat. Here is the status of each Goodeidae species according to John:

Extinct (no captive populations available): Characodon garmani

Extinct in the Wild (captive populations available): Skiffia francesae

Critically Endangered:
Allodontichthys polylepis (possibly extinct in the wild)
Allotoca goslinei (possibly extinct in the wild)
Allotoca maculata
Allotoca meeki
Allotoca zacapuensis
Ameca splendens
Ataeniobius toweri
Chapalichthys pardalis
Chapalichthys peraticus
Characodon audax*
Characodon lateralis*
Girardinichthys viviparus
Hubbsina (Girardinichthys) ireneae
Hubbsina (Girardinichthys) turneri (possibly extinct in the wild)
Neotoca (Skiffia) bilineata
Neophoorus (Allotoca) regalis
Xenoophorus captivus*
Zoogoneticus tequila

Endangered:
Allodontichthys hubbsi
Allotoca dugesii*
Skiffia lermae
Skiffia multipunctata*
Xenotoca eiseni*
Zoogoneticus purhepechus
Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis

Threatened:
Allotoca diazi
Girardinichthys multiradiatus

Vulnerable:
Allodontichthys tamazulae
Allodontichthys zonistius
Alloophorus robustus*
Allotoca catarinae*
Chapalichthys encaustus
Goodea gracilis (= G. atripinnis?)
Ilyodon cortesae
Ilyodon whitei* (including I. lennoni)
Xenotaenia resolanae
Xenotoca melanosoma

Relatively Secure:
Goodea atripinnis* (including G. luitpoldi)
Ilyodon furcidens* (including I. xantusi)
Xenotoca variata*

The asterisks in the table represent species that Dr. Lyons considers to “have large amounts of morphological and/or genetic diversity and have distinctive populations worthy of captive maintenance.” This variation is typical of fish families that have experienced recent rapid speciation.

For the compulsive among my readers, you noticed the ALA only lists 43 instead of 45 species. And the ALA wonders if some of the species are duplicates. Please note that Dr. Lyons indicates that at least some authorities think G. gracilis might be a synonym of G. atripinnis. I’ve kept both fish and am skeptical. They seem distinct to me.

In any event, it’s clear that goodeids are in serious trouble.

photograph by Charles Clapsaddle.