mˈɛmbɚz ʌvðə sˈʌbdʒɛnəs dʒɛnˈɪnsiə ɑːɹ mˈoːɹ wˈaɪdli dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːɾᵻd ɪn sˈʌðɚn sˈaʊθ ɐmˈɛɹɪkə, wɪð wˈʌn spˈiːsiːz, dʒˈeɪ. sˈæŋktiːkˌæɾɑːɹɹˌɪniː ˈɔːlsoʊ fˈaʊnd ɪnðɪ ˈʌpləndz ʌv sˈʌðɚn bɹɐzˈɪl.
Members of the subgenus Jenynsia are more widely distributed in southern South America, with one species, J. sanctaecatarinae also found in the uplands of southern Brazil.