The Sailfin Molly, Poecilia latipinna, is a species of fish, of the genus Poecilia. They inhabit freshwater, brackish, and coastal waters from North Carolina to Texas and the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico.The sailfin molly was originally described in 1821 as Mollienesia latipinna by the naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueuer, who based his description upon specimens from freshwater ponds in the vicinity of New Orleans, Louisiana. Sailfin mollies feed primarily upon algae and other plant materials, although they will consume a number of aquatic invertebrates, including the larvae of mosquitos. The sailfin molly is a tolerantt species, as it can exploit the thin film of oxygen-rich surface water with its upturned mouth, so is able to survive oxygen-depleted habitats. A euryhaline species, the sailfin molly may be found in a variety of saline environments, tolerating salinities as high as 87 ppt and breeding in brackish waters.
