Swordtail platyfish

Swordtail platyfish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cyprinodontiformes
Family:	Poeciliidae
Genus:	Xiphophorus
Species:	X. xiphidium
Binomial name
Xiphophorus xiphidium (Gordon, 1932)
Synonyms
Platypoecilus xiphidium Gordon, 1932

The swordtail platyfish (Xiphophorus xiphidium) is a species of ray-finned fish within the family Poeciliidae. The species is endemic to the Soto la Marina River basin in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. It lives in springs, streams, arroyos, ditches, marshes, and ponds in slow-flowing clear to muddy waters, often over mud, clay, gravel, and rock where vegetation is typically abundant. Males grow 3 cm (1.2 in) in length whereas females grow 4 cm (1.6 in) in length, however both sexes can reach 1 cm (0.4 in) over their usual length. Gestation is usually 24 to 35 days, where around 20 to 50 young are born.

Conservation

There are currently no conservation efforts towards the swordtail platyfish, however its range does overlap in the Altas Cumbres Protected Area outside of Ciudad Victoria. Threats such as cattle ranching degrading coastal streams and rivers due to runoff and water management in the Soto la Marina River are potential threats to the species, however the exact impact isn't known. This species occurs in the aquarium trade, however most of this trade is done through captive breed individuals. The species is widely distributed and has no signs of major population declines. For these reasons the IUCN Red List has assessed the swordtail platyfish as 'Least concern'.