Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
Fundulidae | Lucania parva | (Baird and Girard) | 1855 | Rainwater Killifish |
Lucania parva
Unique Characters: Large, dark-edged scales on sides and back. Male has a dark spot at front of dorsal fin. Widespread from the Shallotte to the Albemarle basins.
Similar Species:
Bluefin Killifish
Lucania goodei
Eastern Mosquitofish
Gambusia holbrooki
Bluefin Killifish Lucania goodei. Wide zigzag black stripe on the side that extends from tip of snout to black spot on caudal fin base. Male usually has blue in dorsal and anal fins and a red base in the caudal fin. There are 8-11 dorsal fin rays. Restricted to Burnt Mill Creek and an impoundment of the creek at Anne McCrary Park in Wilmington, New Hanover County (Cape Fear basin).
Eastern Mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki. Head wider and flatter with a distinct wide and pointed snout. Male with prominent gonopdium which is lacking in the Rainwater Killifish. Third anal ray unbranched, but branched in the Rainwater Killifish.
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