The Cuban limia (Limia vittata), also known as banded limia, Cuban molly, Cuban topminnow or tabai is a species of livebearing freshwater fish from the family Poeciliidae. The species is native to Cuba where it was endemic but it has been introduced to Hawaii.
| Cuban limia | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Poeciliidae |
| Genus: | Limia |
| Species: | L. vittata
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| Binomial name | |
| Limia vittata | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
editThe Cuban limia is olive-green in background colour[3] and has a bluish-grey back, silvery flanks marked with black-edged scales and a white belly. There is a yellow patch close to the vent in fenmles. In the males have the dorsal fin and the anal fin are normally yellow-orange in colour marked with blue-black spots. The females have colorless fins which are marked with a few scattered, black freckles.[4] The females grow to over twice the size of the males which can have a total length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in), and females reach 10 centimetres (3.9 in).[2] In structure it is a rather robust species, depressed towards the rear with a rounded tail and it has a compressed head which has a small, oblique mouth with a protruding lower jaw and a protractile upper jaw.[3]
Distribution
editThe Cuban limia is, as the common name suggests, native to Cuba. It occurs throughout the island of Cuba and the neighbouring Isla de la Juventud.[5] It has been introduced to Hawaii, where it is found on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii, where it is found in the Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park.[6]
Habitat and biology
editWithin its native range the Cuban limia inhabits streams, lakes, estuaries, coastal lagoons, and mangrove swamps[6] and can be found in both freshwater and brackish water,[2] or saline water.[4] Its diet consists of worms, crustaceans, insects and plant material. It often forms mixed shoals with species such as sailfin mollies and mosquitofish.[6] A larger female may give birth to up to 50 fry at a time and in a 4–6 week period can produce up to 100 young.[6]
Human uses
editThis species is present in the aquarium trade and a number of colour variations have been bred.[7] It is thought that released aquarium fish are the origin of the population in Hawaii where they have been blamed for impacting the population of native damselflies.[4] In Hawaii it has been given the local name tabai.[2]
Taxonomy
editThe Cuban limia was described by the French zoologist Alphone Guichenot in 1853 as Poecilia vittata.[1] A year later the Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey described a fish he named Limia cubensis and designated this as the type species of the genus Limia.[8] This was a synonym of Guichenot's Poecilia vittata and so L. vittata was considered the valid name.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Poecilia vittata". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Limia vittata". FishBase. August 2019 version.
- ^ a b "Species: Limia vittata, Banded limia, Cuban limia, Striped mudfish". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ a b c Leo Nico; Pam Fuller & Pamela J. Schofield (2019). "Limia vittata (Guichenot, 1853)". NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ Steven Oliver (3 July 2019). "Limia vittata (Guichenot, 1853)". British Live Bearer Association. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Cuban Limia (Poecilia vittata) Ecological Risk Screening Summary" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. February 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ Coletti, T. (2007). "My Big Dogs from Cuba: Limia vittata". Tropical Fish Hobbyist. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Limia". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 5 November 2019.