Micropoecilia Hubbs

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-62252005000100001
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16944606
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/88324476-FF88-FFB5-611F-FDC42AAD408B
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Micropoecilia Hubbs
status

Poecilia vivipara parae Eigenmann, 1894 View in CoL . Type by original designation. For purposes of the type species, the subspecies parae View in CoL is elevated to species level; type not P. vivipara View in CoL .

Distribution. Drainage of the rio Amazonas, rio Guamá basin, coastal drainages of Brazil, French Guyana, Guyana, and Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago.

Remarks. The tree topology placed “ Poecilia ” reticulata as the sister group of the Micropoecilia clade and far from the type-species of the genus, Poecilia vivipara . This fact brings taxonomic and nomenclatural implications, since the generic name Poecilia cannot be applied to the reticulata species. The most parsimonious action should be the merging of “ Poecilia ” reticulata with the genus Micropoecilia Hubbs, 1926 .

“ Poecilia ” reticulata was originally described as Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859 and Lebistes poecilioides De Fillipi, 1861 is considered a junior synonym. Lebistes poecilioides , whose types are lost, was described as a new genus and a new species. Since the name Lebistes is older than Micropoecilia it has priority and Micropoecilia should be considered a junior synonym of Lebistes . However, Poeser & Isbrücker (2002) suggested, based on evidence on the original description of De Fillipi, that L. poecilioides is not equal to Poecilia reticulata . If it is the case, Lebistes cannot be a synonym of Micropoecilia . However, Eigenmann (1907) erected the genus Acanthophacelus for Poecilia reticulata , thus if Micropoecilia species and “ Poecilia ” reticulata are merged under the same generic name, Acanthophacelus Eigenmann, 1907 has priority over Micropoecilia Hubbs, 1926 and therefore should be resurrected and revalidated. Given that the types of Lebistes poecilioides are lost and that De Fillipi’s description is probably not acurate and reliable, any nomenclatural action is premature and also depends upon a more inclusive phylogenetic analysis among members of the tribe Poeciliini . This analysis could address the question more thoroughly. At the moment, unless Lebistes poecilioides types or unquestionable evidence are found Lebistes poecilioides and Poecilia reticulata should be regarded Incertae Sedis in Poeciliinae .