Zoogoneticus is a genus of goodeid splitfins, livebearing fish endemic to the highland lakes, springs, and rivers of central Mexico. The atlas covers 3 species, 2–3 in, sharing the goodeid family's distinctive reproductive biology: females nourish developing young internally through a placenta-like structure called a trophotaenia rather than relying only on a yolk sac, giving birth to fully formed fry rather than laying eggs.
The genus is well known among livebearer and native-fish specialists, most of all through the tequila splitfin (Zoogoneticus tequila), which famously disappeared from its single known wild locality in Jalisco before a long captive-breeding effort - built on stock held by hobbyists and zoos - supported its reintroduction, making it one of the hobby's genuine conservation success stories. The Tarascan splitfin (Z. purhepechus) and picotee goodeid (Z. quitzeoensis) round out the genus with similar small, peaceful, plant-friendly temperaments. Across the 3 species the IUCN tally runs 2 Endangered and 1 Vulnerable, reflecting how tightly these fish are tied to a shrinking set of Mexican highland waters under pressure from water extraction, pollution, and introduced species; all 3 are CARES-listed.