Balsas Splitfin

Fascinating facts about the Balsas Splitfin

• In 1904, ichthyologist Seth Eugene Meek officially introduced this fish to science, assigning it a name that later changed from Goodea whitei to Ilyodon whitei. The shift reflects how taxonomic understanding evolves over time, reminding us that even a century-old discovery can be reinterpreted.
• This species is endemic to Mexico, occurring in the states of Morelos and Michoacán.
• The type specimen, a reference fish used to define the species, was collected in the town of Yautepec, Morelos. Naming the species after E. A. White of the Interoceanic Railway highlights how early scientific work often relied on support from unexpected partners.

About the Balsas Splitfin

The Balsas splitfin (Ilyodon whitei) belongs to the Goodeidae family and is endemic to Mexico, occurring in the states of Morelos and Michoacán. It was formally described by Seth Eugene Meek in 1904 as Goodea whitei, with the type locality given as Yautepec in Morelos. The specific name honours E. A. White of the Interoceanic Railway of Mexico.

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