Vertebrate fauna of SE Asia
  

 

   
Home  
——————————  
SE Asia fauna ...  
   
Primates
 Carnivorans
 Large Mammals
 Small Mammals
 Mammal calls
 Bats
—————
Birds
—————
 Snakes
 Lizards & Crocodilians
 Turtles
—————
 Amphibians
 Tadpoles
 Frog calls
—————
Freshwater Fishes
 Marine & Brackish Fishes
—————
Species Lists
 





 


 
——————————  
New Guinea herptiles ...  
Snakes   Lizards   Frogs  
——————————  
SE Asia Vert Records (SEAVR) archives ...  
  Indochina Records
  Indonesia & PNG Records
 
——————————  
Philippines Vertebrate Records (PVR)  
Philippines Records  
Email :
 
——————————  
   
  New or updated pages ...
 
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
——————————  
 

Search this site ...

 
 


   

 
  ——————————  
 


Email :


Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless credited to others.
Copyright © Ecology Asia 2024

 
     
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

   
   
 
Common Molly (introduced)
   
   

Fig 1


Fig 2


Fig 3


 



 

 

 

 

Order : Cyprinodontiformes
Family : POECILIIDAE
Species : Poecilia sphenops
Maximum Length : 6.0 cm

The Common or Green Molly and its variants, which include the Black Molly, are popular aquarium fish. This is a close relative of the ubiquitous Guppy.

Native in freshwater streams and brackish water habitats in Central and South America (from Mexico to Columbia), the species has been  introduced into parts of Southeast Asia.

They are prolific breeders which can adapt to hardy, urban environments. In Singapore they occur in concretised canals, storm drains, ponds and polluted rural streams.

They are omnivorous, and feed on various aquatic invertebrates, such as insects and worms, as well as plant and other organic debris.

In Southeast Asia, the species is listed as occurring in the Philippines, Singapore and parts of Indonesia.


Fig 1 : Part of a shoal of twelve Common Molly, living in a brackish tributary of the Singapore River.

Fig 2 : Close-up of an adult, with erect dorsal fin.

Fig 3 : Tributary flowing into the Singapore River inhabited by Common Molly.  Taken in 2007, this rare photo shows the last remnant of natural mangrove habitat in this once-tidal waterway, which passes through the heart of the city.


References :
- F1
-
fishbase.org

Thanks to Kelvin Lim for helping with identification.