LYRETAIL
Features
This gene primarily causes an upper and lower sword-like extension on the tail of both males and females. The lower sword is emphasized on the male swordtail like other swordtails. It also causes the other fins to “sword”, including the ventral fins, dorsal fin, and most notably the anal fin, making the male's gonopodium useless for fertilization naturally.
Nomenclature
Lyretail, called after the lyre-like shape of the tail. Normal gonopodium lyretail males are called King Lyretails.
History
This mutation was first discovered on swordtails. Some of the descendant lyretail swordtails were mated to platys and variatus, and the first lyretail variatus lines were produced in Hawaii during the early 1970's.
Genetics
This gene is a simple autosomal dominant. Lyretail females must be mated to normal finned males in order to produce lyretail offspring through natural mating, due to the lyretail males oversized gonopodium. Occasionally, lyretail males with normal gonopodiums pop up which allow natural mating between lyretail males to lyretail females.
Availability
Lyretail swordtails are widely available. Lyretail platys and variatus are completely extinct, but can be revived again via hybridization.
This gene primarily causes an upper and lower sword-like extension on the tail of both males and females. The lower sword is emphasized on the male swordtail like other swordtails. It also causes the other fins to “sword”, including the ventral fins, dorsal fin, and most notably the anal fin, making the male's gonopodium useless for fertilization naturally.
Nomenclature
Lyretail, called after the lyre-like shape of the tail. Normal gonopodium lyretail males are called King Lyretails.
History
This mutation was first discovered on swordtails. Some of the descendant lyretail swordtails were mated to platys and variatus, and the first lyretail variatus lines were produced in Hawaii during the early 1970's.
Genetics
This gene is a simple autosomal dominant. Lyretail females must be mated to normal finned males in order to produce lyretail offspring through natural mating, due to the lyretail males oversized gonopodium. Occasionally, lyretail males with normal gonopodiums pop up which allow natural mating between lyretail males to lyretail females.
Availability
Lyretail swordtails are widely available. Lyretail platys and variatus are completely extinct, but can be revived again via hybridization.
Sources
ALA Journal 1. The Status of the Lyretail Platy in Hawaii. Glenn Y. Takeshita
ALA Journal 1. Breeding Lyretail Platys. Joanne Norton
ALA Journal 1. The Status of the Lyretail Platy in Hawaii. Glenn Y. Takeshita
ALA Journal 1. Breeding Lyretail Platys. Joanne Norton