First confirmed record of an established population of sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna (Actinopterygii: Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae), in Europe

Abstract

The ornamental aquarium trade has been responsible for several introductions of non-indigenous species in freshwater ecosystems. This report confirms the presence of an established non-native molly population in a tectonic, brackish, geothermal lagoon located in Greece (Lake Vouliagmeni near Athens). The Vouliagmeni molly was positively identified as the true sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna (Lesueur, 1821), using the number of scales around the caudal peduncle as the principal diagnostic character within the sailfin molly species complex. To our knowledge, this is the first documented record of an established sailfin molly population in European waters.

Keywords

• taxonomic identification
• alien species
• Greece
• L