NEWS103
26
This gorgeous new variant of theWiesbadenSwordtail combines theWiesbaden coloration (half-black
onawhitebackground)witha reddorsal finandposterior dorsum tomatch.
Thewhite-based ‘Marble’Swordtail has alreadybeenon themarket for somewhat longer.
explained.According to them,theolivebase
color of the wild Platy is based on the
existenceofmicromelanophores (tiny color
cells containing black pigment) combined
with tiny xanthophores (yellow pigment
cells), and the reticulated arrangement of
themicromelanophores in theepidermisof
the flanks. KALLMANN & BRUNETTI found
that two autosomal loci (which they called
St and R) with two alleles control this
arrangement of color. St R fishes are wild-
colored, Strr are ‘Gray’ and lack the
xanthophores.St st Rarecompletelyyellow
(= ‘Gold’), and totally lacking in
micromelanophores; and finally, st st r r are
the
‘Ghost’,
lacking
both
micro-
melanophores and xanthophores. By
contrast, the macromelanophores are
controlled by sex-linked genes, which
means it ispossible tobreedablackpattern
onto ‘Ghost’. And that is how the new
Swordtailscame intobeing.
Obviouslyyouneed toknowa lotofabout
genetics and biology if you want to be
successful in developing new cultivated
forms. Plus you need to be a very good
aquarist. But the maintenance of these
gorgeous fishes is anything but complex
science, and possible even for beginners.
Enjoy!
References:
KALLMANN,K.D.&V.BRUNETTI (1983):G
ENETIC
B
ASISOF
THREEMUTANTCOLORVARIETIESOF
X
IPHOPHORUSMACULATUS
:
THE
G
RAY
,G
OLDAND
G
HOST
P
LATYFISH
.C
OPEIA
1983 (1):170-181.
