Butterfly splitfin
The butterfly splitfin or butterfly goodeid (Ameca splendens) is a bony fish from the monotypic genus Ameca of the splitfin family (Goodeidae). It was formerly found throughout the Ameca River drainage in Mexico; the type locality is Rio Teuchitlán in the vicinity of Teuchitlán, Jalisco. The species was only ever found in an area about 10 miles (15 km) in diameter.
| Butterfly splitfin | |
|---|---|
| Male in "relaxed" coloration. Note andropodium at anal fin | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Goodeidae |
| Subfamily: | Goodeinae |
| Genus: | Ameca R. R. Miller & Fitzsimons, 1971 |
| Species: | A. splendens |
| Binomial name | |
| Ameca splendens R. R. Miller & Fitzsimons, 1971 | |
Today, the species is rated as critically endangered by the IUCN. A remnant population has been found to persist in El Rincón waterpark near the town of Ameca. Possibly, it also exists in a feral state in the United States; individuals apparently derived from escaped or introduced captive stock were met with in southeastern Nevada, but this was over forty years ago. For some time, it was a popular fish among aquarists, but hobbyist stocks have declined recently, placing its survival in jeopardy.