Waters OF Central America

The region of Central America also includes the territory of the West Indies stretching from the peninsula of Florida as far as the mouth of the Orinoco and the island group of the Greater Antilles. Central America is certainly interesting from the ichthyological point of view, for here lies borderline along which fish typical of both South and North America are living side by side. Mexico with the Californian peninsula in the northwest and Yucatan in the east is a predominantly mountainous country with a large number of still active volcanoes. The coastal region of Mexico is mostly covered with mangrove swamps leading to stretches of savannas and towards the south and southeast, jungles overgrow the eastern slopes of the mountains. The mountainous character of the region gives a steep gradient.

FISH in these areas:

                                    Among those having a structure characteristic of Central American fish is first and foremost the family Poeciliidae, also the family Cyprinodonidae. Many species belonging to these families are not only much-sought-after aquarium fish but also useful acids in fighting malaria because they destroy mosquito larvae.

    As to North America, it is the western Californian cost and also lowlands bordering the eastern shores of Texas up to south Carolina that have aroused the aquarists attention. In the state of Luisiana, the river Mississippi flows into the Appalachian Gulf. This is the home of predatory fish of the family Lepisosteidea (gars).These are often on view in large public aquarium. The nature of Florida is especially noteworthy and in south is the Everglades National Park. Here the climate, considerably influenced by the Gulf Stream, has contributed to the rise of a naturally tropical scenery. Streams and river flow through groves of royal palms, forming many swamps and pools, and there is both fresh water and salt water harboring a rich ichthyofauna, e.g. Sunfish of family Cetrarchidae.