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Species: Gambusia wrayi, Jamaica Mosquitofish

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faint dark stripe from eye along body
D 8-10
A 11
Jamaica
male: pectoral 5th ray scalloped, sex organ - no palp, + hooks above tip
lateral scales 31-32

Gambusia wrayi Regan, 1913

Jamaica mosquitofish

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; 15 (12-16) gill rakers; 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, 14 (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, that greatly elongate organ slender, tapering to a blunt point, with tip curved upwards and with a small recurved hook on its top side, without a fleshy palp; tail base relatively narrow; tail fin  rounded, branched tail rays 14 (12-16); scales smooth and relatively large, 30-33 (31-32) along side.

Light olive, a faint brown stripe from eye along body to tail fin base; a dark bar under eye; body with spots along scale rows; dorsal fin with 2 rows of small scattered spots, margin dark; tail fin with 2-3 rows of small black spots or with dark border.

Reaches 6.9 cm.

Primarily freshwater, but occasionally in brackish water.

Depth: 0-1 m.

Jamaica.


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Salinity
  • Brackish
  • Freshwater
  • Non Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Estuary
  • Freshwater
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
  • Detritivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Detritus
  • Insects
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Live birth
  • No pelagic phase
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s) only
  • Island (s)
  • All species..
  • Antilles endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Not evaluated / Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 6.9
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 1