Xiphophorus
''Xiphophorus'' is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order (biology), order Cyprinodontiformes, native to Mexico and northern Central America. ''Xiphophorus'' species can be divided into three groups based on their evolutionary relationships: platyfish (or platies), northern swordtails, and southern swordtails. Platyfish formerly were classified in another genus, ''Platypoecilus'', which is now obsolete. The type species is ''X. hellerii,'' the green swordtail. Like most other new world Poeciliids, platies and swordtails are Livebearers, live-bearers that use internal fertilization and give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like the bulk of the world's fishes. The name ''Xiphophorus'' derives from the Greek language, Greek words ξίφος (dagger) and φόρος (bearer), referring to the Fish fin#Reproduction, gonopodium on the males. All are relatively small fishes, which reach a maximum length of depending on the exact specie ...
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