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Footless killifish

species of fish

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Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionMay 21, 2026
Entity authorityQ3232925
Source-derived summary

The footless killifish (Tellia apoda) is a monotypic species of killifish in the family Aphaniidae. This species is endemic to springs and streams in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria, between Batna and Constantine. T. apoda was described in 1853 by Paul Gervais with the type locality given as the Springs of Tell, south of Constantine.

Tellia apoda is endemic to Algeria. It is the only member of family Aphaniidae which lacks pelvic fins, which leads to the common name. This species can grow up to the average length of about 45 millimetres (2 in). Tellia apoda has the diet of eating small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae, zooplankton, algae, and occasionally plant material is eaten. If bred for the aquarium, this species can accept dried foods. Although they will eat dried food, it is better for them to be offered small live or frozen food such as Artemia, Daphnia or bloodworm. They are known to be found in freshwater.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Footless killifish” as species of fish. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA sound reference starting point where classification, measurement and the date of the underlying evidence remain visible. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1853—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Footless, killifish and species can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of fish. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3232925. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1853.

Critical limits

Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Footless killifish” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.