Zoogoneticus tequila
Picote tequila
Tequila splitfin
WEBB, S. A. & R. R. MILLER (1998)
Etymology: This species was named after the Tequila volcano near the spring where they are found.
Z. tequila is endemic to the Rio Techitlan in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It became extinct in the wild during the 1990's, however, there has been significant effort to reintroduce them since 2016. They are still considered criitcally endangered. Since there is only one known population there is one ESU. All Z. tequila belong to Zoote1. The maximum known length is 48 mm (1.9 inces) SL ("About the Species, Zoogoneticus tequila").
​
Z. tequila was only found in Rio Teuchitlan of the Rio Ameca drainage (a small spring about 8 meters wide and 1.3 meters deep). The habitat is shallow, open, and lakelike with little to no current. The substrate is of mud and silt. Flora consisting of Potamogeton, Eichornia, and a hyacinth-like plant. Water temperature is 26*-28* (Miller et al, 2005). All wild populations of this fish have seemingly been extirpated. A reintroduction project started in 2015 has encouraging expectations to reintegrate Z. tequila back into its native habitat in the wild ( About the Species, Zoogoneticus tequila).
References
2009. About the Species, Zoogoneticu tequila. Goodeid working Group. http://www.goodeidworkinggroup.com/artificial-key . February 9, 2019.
Miller, Robert et al. Freshwater Fishes of Mexico. The University of Chicago Press, 2005
