Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Poeciliidae (Poeciliids) > Poeciliinae
Etymology: Phallichthys: Greek, phallos = penis + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 3 - 10. Tropical; 23°C - 30°C (Ref. 36880)
Central America: Upper San Juan River in Costa Rica.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 2.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36880); 3.5 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Robust body, with moderate depth; slightly oval. Gonopodium long with apex not reaching the base of the tail. Sides with 8 - 10 dark bars, especially evident in males and young. Ground color is brown, dorsal fin has a black blotch posteriorly (Ref. 36880).
Inhabits slow flowing waters that are only rarely deeper than 30 cm and connected to standing marshy area; over muddy bottoms (Ref. 26130, 36880). Lives between 35 and 600 m elevation at temperatures of 23-30°C. Swims in small groups near the surface of turbid waters, on the shoreline or among the undergrowth. Feeds on unicellular algae, diatoms, ooze and sometimes insect larvae (Ref. 36880).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Wischnath, L., 1993. Atlas of livebearers of the world. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., United States of America. 336 p. (Ref. 26130)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00813 (0.00354 - 0.01865), b=3.16 (2.97 - 3.35), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.4 ±0.21 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).