Fundulus pulvereus

Description

The bayou killifish or bayou topminnow (Fundulus pulverous) is a small, topminnow-like fish that thrives primarily in the shallow waters off the shores of the Americas, as well as fresh and brackish waters. Feeding off of small vertebrates and invertebrates, this fish displays reproduction techniques unique to its species. A member of the family Fundulidae, the bayou killifish belongs to one of the most common orders of fish, Cyprinodontiformes, which includes most small aquarium topminnows and North American killifish. Discovered in 1892, the bayou killifish is one of over 1000 species of killifish, and remains a thriving species amongst many others in the oceans. Its scientific name derives from the Latin word "fundus," which literally means "bottom," and many view this as ironic since the fish is a type of topminnow. However, the name was coined for a bottom species of the Atlantic coast, being the least important of the fundulus mudfish. Bayou killifish are fairly small, and only grow to a maximum length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in). Given its size, the bayou killifish is fairly easy to spot in its natural environment. Living mostly in shallow waters, the male bayou killifish displays bright striped patterns of silver and olive-green, while the females are uniquely spotted.