Talk:Green swordtail

Untitled
The picture on the right of the article is a red swordtail and needs to be changed. Actually, if it is simply removed, the picture of the wild green swordtail is what they look like in captivity anyway.
 * Agreed, switched photos to have wild form in the taxobao &rarr;ΣcoPhreek Δ 15:31, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

swordtails are told to be fin nippers but are not. They have a sword like tail, when a female sword tail is close, the male will do a lovly dissplay with his tail showing a variaty of colour.

What is in a name
Previous authors have stated in the second paragraph, that the name swordfish derive not from the sword-like extension of the caudal fin but from the modified anal fin (gonopodium) of this livebearing species. I am confused as to why all livebearers with gonopodium are not called sword-tails as well. I am unable to find a reliable reference as backing to the statement. Does anyone else know of such a reference? Also both the Yahoo News! references of the article seem to be broken. Should they be removed? --payxystaxna (talk) 13:08, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

When Bleeker described Xiphophorus, he included Xiphophorus bimaculatus (=Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus or Heterandria bimaculata) in this genus. That species does not carry a caudal extension but a long gonopodium. The Greek word Xiphos refers to a dagger, but not a long sword.