Poeciliidae

Girardinus microdactylus

The Poeciliidae are a family of Zahnkärpflinge ( Cyprinodontiformes ). There are small 1.5-22 -centimeter-long fish. All Poeciliidae live in Africa, Central and South America usually close to the water surface in heavily vegetated waters. For the purpose of mosquito control some species have been spread by the people almost worldwide in tropical and subtropical areas. Most Poeciliidae feed on small invertebrates such as insect larvae and small crustaceans, some also eat algae.

System

Originally only the live-bearing tooth carp were placed in this family; after the dissolution of the taxon of the egg-laying tooth carp also the egg-laying lampeyes this family were allocated so that the viviparous now more form the subfamily Poeciliinae and lampeyes be placed in the subfamilies Aplocheilichthyinae and Proatopodinae. Today, there are therefore three subfamilies, 70 genera and about 344 species.

• Live-bearing tooth carp ( Poeciliinae )
• Aplocheilichthyinae
• Procatopodinae