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Wray's gambusia (Gambusia wrayi) — Poeciliidae

Wray's gambusia

Gambusia wrayi
Family: Poeciliidae

The Wray's gambusia (Gambusia wrayi) is a brackish-water fish of the family Poeciliidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
3.2 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Omnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Wray's gambusia is a livebearing toothcarp (Poeciliidae) from shallow fresh and brackish water of fresh water of Jamaica in the Caribbean. The species grows to about 4 cm and has a stocky, grey-brown body with an upturned mouth. As a surface fish it swims in pools, ditches and shoreline zones and eats mainly insect larvae, including mosquito larvae, plus small zooplankton. The females bear live young. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Wray's gambusia?

The Wray's gambusia has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Wray's gambusia live?

The Wray's gambusia lives in brackish water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Wray's gambusia get?

The Wray's gambusia grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Wray's gambusia dangerous to humans?

No, the Wray's gambusia is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Jamaicaanse gambusia sourced
English name
Wray's gambusia sourced
Scientific name
Gambusia wrayi
Family
Poeciliidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
3.2 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gambusia

More from the family Poeciliidae

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