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Talk:Green swordtail

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The picture on the right of the article is a red swordtail and needs to be changed. Actually, if it is simply removed, the picture of the wild green swordtail is what they look like in captivity anyway.

Agreed, switched photos to have wild form in the taxobao ΣcoPhreekΔ 15:31, 3 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

swordtails are told to be fin nippers but are not. They have a sword like tail, when a female sword tail is close, the male will do a lovly dissplay with his tail showing a variaty of colour.

What is in a name

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Previous authors have stated in the second paragraph, that the name swordfish derive not from the sword-like extension of the caudal fin but from the modified anal fin (gonopodium) of this livebearing species. I am confused as to why all livebearers with gonopodium are not called sword-tails as well. I am unable to find a reliable reference as backing to the statement. Does anyone else know of such a reference? Also both the Yahoo News! references of the article seem to be broken. Should they be removed? --payxystaxna (talk) 13:08, 6 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

When Bleeker described Xiphophorus, he included Xiphophorus bimaculatus (=Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus or Heterandria bimaculata) in this genus. That species does not carry a caudal extension but a long gonopodium. The Greek word Xiphos refers to a dagger, but not a long sword.