General Information

COMMON NAMES: Shortfin Molly, Mexican Molly, Atlantic Molly, Orangefin Molly TRADITIONAL NAMES: Ika Kai-namu (PK) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Poecilia mexicana e.Mexico - e.C.America; EXOTIC EXOTIC USA, Hawai‘i, Pacific COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; Recent, Naturalised. PLUS: ; Freshwater, ponds - streams SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Biocontrol - released pre-1960

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: ?
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-			++++

Poecilia mexicana hybrids Steindachner, 1863
SYNONYMS: Poecilia sphenops [mis-ID, but is in the same complex]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Cyprinodontiformes; Cyprinodontoidei; POECILIIDAE, Poeciliinae. COMMENT: The Mexican Molly (Poecilia mexicana) and the Liberty Molly (Poecilia salvatoris) were both introduced to Hawaii and have hybridised to form a Poecilia hybrid-complex. Mollies of the Cook Islands are probably in this complex. To simplify the name this database will use the name Mexican Molly (Poecilia mexicana hybrids). To further confuse matters, some fish of this complex have been mistakenly identified as Poecilia sphenops, which is another species. [after Yamamoto & Tagawa, 2000, Hawai'i's Native and Exotic Freshwater Animals, Mutual Publishing]

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photos, 11/1994,G.McCormack, to Smithsonian (2 specimens Avana 60m asl. as USNM341660, 3 specimens Avatiu bridge 0m asl. as USNM341661), ID L.Parenti as Poecilia sphenops, re-ID Ron Englund, based on Pukapuka specimens and on species in se.Polynesia and Hawai'i, as Poecilia mexicana hybrid-complex, 5/2004. Pukapuka: specimens+photo, 3/2004, Taro swamp, G.McCormack, ID Ron Englund as Poecilia mexicana hybrid-complex, 5/2004.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zupB04b, zM02

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