The humpbacked limia or black-barred limia (''Limia nigrofasciata'') is a critically endangered species of

poeciliid The Poeciliidae are a family of freshwater fishes of the order Cyprinodontiformes, the tooth-carps, and include well-known live-bearing aquarium fish, such as the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail. The original distribution of the family wa ...

fish which is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

. Its common name is derived from the hump males develop as they age. It is sometimes kept in home aquaria.

Description

''Limia nigrofasciata'' grows to a length of in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...

. Both males and females are colorful, with translucent and glittery bodies featuring dark vertical bars (from which the

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''nigrofasciata'' is derived). The males also have an enlarged

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...

with purple flecks. As they mature, the males become distinctly humpbacked and their golden base color intensifies.

Ecology

''Limia nigrofasciata'' exclusively inhabits

Lake Miragoâne Lake Miragoâne (french: Étang de Miragoâne) is a lake in Haiti, located one kilometer southeast of the city of Miragoâne. It is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the Caribbean. The lake is 12 km (7.5 mi) long and 25 ...

, but it is not particular about the type of

substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...

. The fish are notably social and usually form large

schools A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

. In habitats characterized by

submerged aquatic vegetation Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments ( saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...

and muddy bottoms, ''Limia nigrofasciata'' is found alongside congeners '' L. islai'', '' L. garnieri'', '' L. miragoanensis'', and '' L. immaculata''; fellow poeciliid ''

Gambusia beebei ''Gambusia'' is a large genus of viviparous fish in the family Poeciliidae (order Cyprinodontiformes). ''Gambusia'' contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats, though some species may also be found i ...

''; and the cichlids '' Nandopsis haitiensis'', ''

Oreochromis aureus The blue tilapia (''Oreochromis aureus'') is a species of tilapia, a fish in the family Cichlidae. Native to Northern and Western Africa, and the Middle East, through introductions it is now also established elsewhere, including parts of the ...

'', and '' Tilapia rendali'' (the latter two being

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived the ...

). As a member of the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed betw ...

''Limia'', ''L. nigrofasciata'' is unusual for sharing its habitat with the ''Odontolimia'' subgenus limias. Gut analyses of wild specimens point to ''Limia nigrofasciata'' feeding exclusively on

detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commu ...

and

algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) are any of a large and diverse group of photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms. The name is an informal term for a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from ...

, taking no animal food items.

Reproduction

In contrast to its

sister species In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and ...

, ''L. islai'' (which is often mislabelled as ''L. nigrofasciata''), the

reproductive behavior Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual org ...

of ''Limia nigrofasciata'' features an elaborate

courtship display A courtship display is a set of display behaviors in which an animal, usually a male, attempts to attract a mate; the mate exercises choice, so sexual selection acts on the display. These behaviors often include ritualized movement ("dances"), v ...

by the males, which try to attract the females by presenting a large, ornamented

, wagging their tail, and performing lateral displays. Females deliver 15–30 live young, which are quite large at the length of up to 13 mm. The fry hide in vegetation.

Importance to humans

Along with '' L. melanogaster'', ''Limia nigrofasciata'' was a popular

livebearer Livebearers are aquarium fish that retain the eggs inside the body and give birth to live, free-swimming young. Among aquarium fish, livebearers are nearly all members of the family Poeciliidae and include guppies, mollies, platies and swordta ...

fishkeeping Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture. Origins of fishkeeping Fish ha ...

in the early 1960s; it has since been eclipsed by the

fancy Fancy may refer to: Places * Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement * Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video ...

varieties of ''

Xiphophorus ''Xiphophorus'' is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes, native to Mexico and northern Central America. The many ''Xiphophorus'' species are all known as platyfish (or platies) and sw ...

'' and ''

Poecilia ''Poecilia'' is a genus of fishes in the family Poeciliidae of the order Cyprinodontiformes. These livebearers are native to fresh, brackish and salt water in the Americas, and some species in the genus are euryhaline. A few have adapted to ...

'' species. In aquaria, the species is sensitive to water changes, which is especially true for mature males. It requires a constant temperature of 24–26°C and good circulation and

aeration Aeration (also called aerification or aeriation) is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or other substances that act as a fluid (such as soil). Aeration processes create additional surface area i ...

. Males fight over

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

, while females are usually not aggressive. Adults may prey upon the fry.

Threats

''Limia nigrofasciata'' is a critically endangered species. Lake Miragoâne, the only body of water it inhabits, is affected by severe

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then land conversion, converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban area, urban ...

of the surrounding land,

water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Wate ...

, and

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

. Currently no species-specific measures are taken to protect ''L. nigrofasciata''. Haiti's

forestry law Forestry laws govern activities in designated forest lands, most commonly with respect to forest management and timber harvesting. Forestry laws generally adopt management policies for public forest resources, such as multiple use and sustaine ...

s are lax and essentially non-enforced. The species may be

extirpated Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...

without site protection and

ex-situ conservation Svalbard GLOBAL SEED BANK, an ''ex situ'' conservation. ''Ex situ'' conservation literally means, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered species, variety or breed, of plant or animal outside its natural habita ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q963321 nigrofasciata

Limia nigrofasciata The humpbacked limia or black-barred limia (''Limia nigrofasciata'') is a critically endangered species of poeciliid fish which is endemic to Haiti. Its common name is derived from the hump males develop as they age. It is sometimes kept in hom ...