Pathology Survey on a Captive‐Bred Colony of the Mexican Goodeid, Nearly Extinct in the Wild, Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb & Miller 1998)

Abstract

The Mexican Goodeid, Zoogoneticus tequila, is considered nearly extinct in the wild and it is maintained in captivity by the nonprofit international “Goodeid Working Group.” The unique Italian colony has produced about 180 fish so far. The observable diseases were registered and some fish were submitted, immediately after spontaneous death, to necroscopic and histopathologic exams. Encountered diseases included the following: 7 cases of scoliosis (2 males and 5 females); 2 fish with a similar congenital deviation of ocular axis; 1 adult male with left corneal opacity, presumably of traumatic origin; 1 female fish with a large subocular fluid-filled sac, histologically referable to a lymphatic cyst, similarly to the eye sacs of a Goldfish variety (Carassius auratus) called bubble eye; and 1 female fish with recurrent abdominal distension consequent to distal bowel dilation and thinning, associated with complete mucosal atrophy, and comparable to intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndromes described in humans and various animal species. The absence of infectious or parasitic diseases, as well as the low incidence of diseases potentially related to environmental alterations or nutritional disorders such as spinal deformities, suggests the adequacy of breeding management techniques of Z. tequila for its conservation and reintroduction in to the original habitat in the near future.

Multiple, life-compatible, congenital physical deformities in association with splenic lymphangiomatosis in Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb & Miller, 1998)

“…However, it is usually difficult or impossible to define the exact relationship between the different aetiologies and to identify the precise cause of the congenital defects occurring in fish [16]. Apart from the previously documented, very low incidence of skeletal defects, no other physical deformities were recorded in the present Italian colony, making a role of environmental deterioration or poor genetic diversity of the captive stock of Z. tequila in a causation of the lesions observed unlikely [8].…”

“…The Mexican goodeid, Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb and Miller, 1998) (Z. tequila) is considered a nearly extinct fish in the wild and it is maintained in captivity by the non-profit international "Goodeid Working Group" represented by zoological institutions and aquarists in North America, Mexico and Europe [7]. The unique, currently existing Italian colony was founded in 2007 by one of the authors and a limited number of pathologies has been recorded so far within this colony [8,9]. Z. tequila is a viviparous species and females give birth to free-swimming fry after an intraovarian gestation.…”

Population growth and behavioural interactions of a critically endangered fish with co‐occurring native and exotic species

“…Tequila splitfins have been bred in captivity in museums, zoos, universities, and private aquariums in North America and Europe, mostly linked and organised by the Goodeid Working Group (Arbuatti et al, 2013). In 2016, Domínguez‐Domínguez led a project sponsored by several associations and societies to breed tequila splitfins and reintroduce them into the Teuchitlan River.…”

Ovarian teratoma in an adult female Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb & Miller 1998): histological and immunohistochemical features

“…A single pathology survey on the unique Italian colony was also previously published by the authors (Arbuatti et al . ), but no other literature reports regarding pathologies of this species are available. Z. tequila is a viviparous species, and females give birth to free‐swimming fry after an intraovarian gestation.…”

“…The Mexican Goodeid, Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb & Miller ), is considered nearly extinct in the wild, and it is maintained in captivity by the non‐profit international ‘Goodeid Working Group’ represented by zoological institutions and aquarists in North America, Mexico and Europe. The unique, currently existing Italian colony was founded in 2007 by one of the authors (Arbuatti, Della Salda & Romanucci ), and it has produced about 240 fish so far. Information concerning the anatomy and biology of Z. tequila is extremely limited (Webb & Miller ; De La Vega‐Salazar, Avila‐Luna & Macìas‐Garcia ).…”