Species: Gambusia rhizophorae, Mangrove Gambusia

Gambusia rhizophorae Rivas, 1969

Mangrove Gambusia

Head and body moderately robust, moderately compressed at rear; head depressed; front nostril not tubular; covering of eye not continuous with skin of head; mouth small, opens at front, slightly oblique, lower jaw slightly projecting, top jaw protractile; jaw teeth consist of an outer row of large backward curved teeth, and several rows of small pointed teeth; 1 dorsal fin with short base, at rear of body, 9 (8-10) rays; anal fin origin distinctly before dorsal fin origin in both sexes female with 11 rays; pelvic origin well behind pectoral base, near anal fin, tips of fins of males not swollen; pectorals high on flank, 13-15, modified in male, with 5th ray scalloped near its tip; 3rd anal ray unbranched; anal fin modified in male to form an elongate sex organ, tip of that greatly elongate organ bluntly rounded at tip, which curves upwards, with backward pointing hooks near top of tip, without a fleshy palp; tail base relatively narrow; tail fin rounded; scales smooth and relatively large, 28-30 along side.

Light olive to yellowish above, pale below; several lines of small but conspicuous, regularly spaced black dots along upper sides; fins yellowish, dorsal and tail fins with rows of dark dots.

Reaches 5 cm.

Freshwater and brackish water.

Depth range: 0-1 m.

S Florida and Cuba.