Jelier Aquatic Education and Information

How hobbyists are saving endangered killifish from extinction Find out how a group of killifish enthusiasts in San Diego, California are implementing conservation efforts to save these fish from the brink of extinction.

As fishes of the genus Dawkinsia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) endemic to peninsular India and Sri Lanka were reviewed by BNHS researchers, three new species were recognized | bit.ly/2ztTCg0.

The strange genetics of the fish that never grows up The tiny carp Paedocypris progenetica was quickly identified as the world's smallest vertebrate when it was discovered in 2006: The maximum size of an adult fish is only 8 millimetres.

Saving the Running River Rainbowfish This video was shot over the last few years. It documents just some of the work done to save the Running River Rainbowfish. A small group of people, with lim...

Comprehensive Goodeid Species Status Update Published - Reef To Rainforest Media, LLC | CORAL Magazine | Microcosm Publishing Researchers have evaluated Mexico's 40 species of goodeids, predicting many more will go extinct without cooperation and collaboration between scientists, conservationists, and aquarium hobbyists for successful captive maintenance.

Amazing sea slug eats so much algae it can ‘photosynthesize’ The Costasiella kuroshimae, also known as the ‘leaf sheep’, feeds on algae and is partially ‘solar-powered’.

Florida Invasive Species: Clown Knifefish The Clown Knifefish, Chitala ornata, is native to Indochina, but has been found in South Florida starting in the 1990s. It is established in Palm Beach and possibly Broward counties, Florida, so it…

How do we know whether fish have feelings too? Most of us agree that humans have consciousness - an ability to experience thoughts and emotions - but what about fish, do they feel emotions too?

Home aquarium hobbyists are helping save 30 rare fish from extinction The pet trade often harms wildlife but some dedicated amateur fish-keepers are working to keep many species of fish from extinction

NAME OF THE WEEK

Xiphophorus Heckel 1848

It’s the cardinal rule when researching the etymology of the name of a fish: Do not rely on secondary sources; instead, always check the original description, even if the meaning of the name is obvious.

Well, we failed to follow that rule in researching the meaning of Xiphophorus, a genus of of viviparous poeciliids popular among aquarists under the common name “swordtails” for the sword-like extension of the lower caudal-fin lobe of males.

Xiphophorus translates as xiphos, sword or saber, and phorus, from phero, to carry or bear. In other words, swordsman. Since the most obvious and famous feature of the type species, X. hellerii, is the sword-like tail, that must be what Heckel was referring to when he coined the name.

But several years ago, we came across a reference — we don’t remember where — that stated that Heckel coined the name not for the tail but for the dagger-like gonopodium (modified a**l fin that serves as an intromittent organ) of males. We subsequently saw this claim repeated in dozens of scientific and popular publications and websites. Confident that that was the correct explanation for the name, we chose not to check Heckel’s description. In other words, we got lazy.

A few weeks ago, thinking Xiphophorus might make an interesting “Name of the Week,” we consulted Heckel’s 1848 description for confirmation of the gonopodium claim. Much to our surprise, we found none.

With the help of our good friend Erwin Schraml, we dissected Heckel’s German text and translated the pertinent sections into English. First of all, Heckel never explicitly explained the etymology of the name. And secondly, Heckel used the German equivalents of “sword” and “blade” when describing both the gonopodium and the caudal-fin extension.

• Page 291, a**l fin is described as having its anterior rays thickened, “joined together in a long blade”
• Page 291, “a**l fin begins in the middle of the body, its sword not longer than the dorsal fin rays"
• Page 292, a**l-fin rays form a “strange wide blade”
• Page 294, “Also very conspicuous is the rounded caudal fin, from where from the lower four rays, which are connected to a sharp sword-shaped blade, reach far out. It contains a total of 15 divided rays, two of them belong to that blade.”
• Page 295, “A narrow black ribbon ... runs through the caudal fin and forms the upper edge of the pure white sword-shaped appendage up to its tip.”
• Page 295, “the keel of the tail ... also adorns a black line, which merges into an intense colored black band, which bounds both sides of the lower edge of the sword-shaped rays of the caudal fin.”
• Page 298, describing a**l fin of X. (now Pseudoxiphophorus) bimaculatus, “These five [rays] are closely attached to one another, covered with a loose skin at the base, and together form the sword …”
• Page 300, referring to X. (now Poeciliopsis) gracilis, “Anal fin with the whole base placed in front of the dorsal fin, the sword narrow, twice as long as the head ...”
• Page 301, the word “sword” appears three more times with respect to the a**l fin.

While Heckel used the sword/blade reference eight times for the a**l fin (gonopodium) and three times for the caudal-fin extension, we cannot confidently say why he coined the name. He may, as reported elsewhere, have been referring to the dagger-like gonopodium. But he just as easily could have been referring to the much more obvious sword-like tail. Or maybe Heckel was referring to both. Since he didn’t tell us, we cannot know for sure.

We’ve revised the etymology to include all three options: gonopodium, caudal fin, both.

IMAGE: Xiphophorus helleri. From: Heckel, J. J. 1848. Eine neue Gattung von Poecilien mit rochenartigem Anklammerungs-Organe. Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe v. 1 (pt 1-5) [1848]: 289-303, Pls. 8-9.

New freshwater species discovered in Myanmar A team of international and local scientists have announced the discovery of previously unknown species of freshwater mussels in Myanmar.

Albino Cyclops Shark Is Real, Experts Say The Cyclops shark, sliced from the belly of a pregnant mama dusky sharka caught by a commercial fisherman in the Gulf of California earlier this summer, is by all reports the real thing.

New species of tiny sharks that glow in the dark discovered by scientists Sharks are known to stalk and sniff out prey before they attack. But all this newly discovered shark species has to do is glow in the dark, and the prey comes to them.

Older than dinosaurs: last South African coelacanths threatened by oil exploration Just 30 of the prehistoric fish known to exist, raising fears oil wells will push it to extinction

The Fish Egg That Traveled Through a Swan’s Gut, Then Hatched These fish turn up in many surprising location, but this was one place scientists didn’t expect to find them.

Again fantastic news!
De Jong Marinelife is very proud to offer the first tank bred Zebrasoma xanthurum (Yellowtail tang) to the aquarium hobby in Europe!
As most people know De Jong Marinelife invest a lot in creating a more sustainable aquarium hobby by always supporting the most sustainable ways for people to enjoy the hobby. This first tank bred Zebrasoma xanthurum follows shortly after our big announcement when making available the first tank bred Zebrasoma flavescens. With also the first Paracanthurus hepatus, Geniacanthus personatus and many other tank bred species, we offer, now in total over 150 types of tank bred fish.
Also our own coral and fish nursery is running great and there will be more and more updates on our new De Jong Marinelife Nursery page.

‘Precious’ new species named for The Lord of the Ring’s Gollum A newly discovered species of snakehead fish has been named Aenigmachanna gollum after J.R.R. Tolkien's Gollum.

The little blind fish that can mend a broken heart | The Japan Times The Mexican tetra is a small and boring-looking animal, but appearances are deceptive. This fish is famous among evolutionary biologists, physiologists and sleep scientists for its hidden talents.

Nemacheilus fasciatus, West-Java, May 2019

Bijzondere insecten en andere ongewervelden digitaal determineren! We zijn al een tijdje bezig met het maken van zogenaamde "Soortzoekers", te vinden via deze link:
https://determineren.nederlandsesoorten.nl/linnaeus_ng/

Dit zijn online tools met een aantal grote voordelen ten opzichte van traditionele sleutels of beeldherkenning. Je kan bijvoorbeeld beginnen bij het kenmerk wat je het best kan zien, ipv aan het begin van een sleutel. Bovendien zijn ze ook erg goed mobiel te gebruiken.

Er zijn soortzoekers beschikbaar voor allerlei hoeken van het dierenrijk. Erg geschikt voor groepen die je niet vaak tegenkomt. De komende tijd zullen we bepaalde soortzoekers uitlichten, bijvoorbeeld als de vliegtijd van die groep aanstaande is. Veel succes met beestjes determineren!

Freshwater Land Trust and partners are saving one of the rarest fish on earth | Bham Now After the Freshwater Land Trust and its partners removed a 100-year-old dam, the Vermilion darter is making a new home in a section of Turkey Creek.