Apistogramma

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Apistogramma
Apistogramma bitaeniata.jpg
Apistogramma bitaeniata
Apistogramma hongsloi (m).jpg
Apistogramma hongsloi
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Cichlinae
Tribe: Geophagini
Subtribe: Geophagina
Genus: Apistogramma
Regan, 1913
Type species
Mesops taeniatus
Günther, 1862
Synonyms

HeterogrammaRegan, 1906
PintoichthysFowler, 1954

Apistogramma is a large genus of freshwater fish in the family Cichlidae native to South America, but also commonly kept in aquariums. They are dwarf cichlids that mostly feed on tiny animals and have breeding behaviors that vary depending on the exact species. [1] [2]

Contents

Range, conservation status and habitat

Apistogramma are exclusively found in tropical and subtropical South America in the lowlands east of the Andes. The highest richness is in the western Amazon Basin and Orinoco Basin, but there are also species in the Guianan Shield, eastern Amazon Basin, rivers flowing into the Atlantic in northern Brazil (Tocantins–Araguaia to Parnaíba) and the Río de la Plata Basin. [1] [2] [3] [4] Although a few species are widespread, most members of this genus have small ranges. [4] [5] Few members of the genus have been evaluated by the IUCN, mostly either ranking as least concern (not threatened) or data deficient (limited available data prevents an evaluation), but some of the highly localized Apistogramma species likely are threatened. [5] [6] [7] Primary threats to their survival are deforestation (causing changes in their microhabitat) and pollution (for example by oil drilling or mining). [6] [7]

Apistogramma generally inhabit streams, or edges of rivers or lakes. [2] Most prefer sheltered habitats with leaf litter on the bottom in water with little movement and a shallow depth, up to about 40 cm (1.3 ft), although a few species occur deeper, in fast-flowing water, in more open habitats or at the surface among floating plants. [3] [8]

Appearance

Apistogramma are dwarf cichlids with adults reaching between 2 and 8 cm (0.8–3.1 in) in standard length depending on exact species. [1] [2] Most species are strongly sexually dimorphic, with males generally larger than females and possessing different color patterns than the females (which at least when breeding are most frequently yellow with blackish markings); in a few species this pattern is reversed or the sexes are rather similar. [1] [2] [9] Additionally, they often change color depending on behavior, for example when looking for food, breeding or during aggressive encounters. [10] A few species, including A. agassizii , A. cacatuoides , A hongsloi and A. macmasteri , have been selectively bred by aquarists to achieve brighter colors than the natural, wild forms. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Behavior

Apistogramma are omnivores, but tending towards micropredatory. Their main food items consist of aquatic insect larvae and other small invertebrates, fish fry, algae and plant debris. [2] [9]

Brood care is highly developed, as in most cichlids. Nearly all Apistogramma species spawn in crevices (small caves), typically in holes in sunken logs or branches, or in leaf litter aggregations. A number of breeding strategies exist in the genus. Some species breed in polygamous harems, while other species form monogamous pairs. [2] Three of the described species, A. barlowi , A. megastoma and A. pantalone , practice mouthbrooding, either by both parents or only by the female. [15] [16] In most cases, regardless of the breeding strategy, the female is more highly involved with care of the eggs and fry, whilst the male defends a territory from predators. [2] The sex of the fry is affected by the water conditions: In all species where it has been studied warmer water results in more males and in some species more acidic water (lower pH) also results in more males. [17] [18]

Taxonomy and species

Apistogramma agassizii, male Apistogramma agassizii in aquarium.jpg
Apistogramma agassizii , male
Apistogramma allpahuayo, male Apistogramma allpahuayo Schwarzkinn-Zwergbuntbarsch.jpg
Apistogramma allpahuayo , male
Apistogramma borellii, pair Apistogramma borellii.jpg
Apistogramma borellii , pair
Apistogramma cacatuoides double red male.jpg
Apistogramma-cacatuoide-flame-male1.jpg
Apistogramma cacatuoides mother and fry.jpg
Apistogramma cacatuoides , two male variants and female with fry
Apistogramma erythrura, male Apistogramma erythrura.jpg
Apistogramma erythrura , male
Apistogramma nijsseni, female and male Apistogramma nijsseni mf mirror.jpg
Apistogramma nijsseni , female and male
Apistogramma Papagei Male.jpg
Apistogramma Papagei Female.jpg
Apistogramma ortegai ("Papagayo" form), male and female
Apistogramma Panduro male.jpg
Apistogramma panduro f.jpg
Apistogramma panduro , male and female
Apistogramma trifasciata, male Apistogramma trifasciata.jpg
Apistogramma trifasciata , male

Apistogramma is part of Geophagini and its closest relatives are Apistogrammoides and Taeniacara . [19] There are currently 93 recognized Apistogramma species, [1] [20] making it the most species-rich genus of cichlid in the Americas, together with Crenicichla . [4] New species of Apistogramma are regularly described, [8] and undescribed species—sometimes cryptic—are known to exist in the genus. [21] Several of the recognized species occur in more than one form, [4] and some of these actually may represent separate species, as appears to be the case for the "Papagayo" and "Pebás" forms, both typically included in A. ortegai. [5] A comprehensive taxonomic review of the genus is necessary. [2] The genus is sometimes divided into subgroups based on the appearance and phylogenetic relationship of the various species. [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cichlasoma</i> Genus of fishes

Cichlasoma is a genus of freshwater fish in the cichlid family. The genus was previously very large, including cichlids from North America, including Central America, and South America.

<i>Crenicichla</i> Genus of fishes

Crenicichla is a genus of cichlids native to South America commonly known as the pike cichlids. They are found in most tropical and subtropical freshwater habitats between the Andes and the Atlantic.

<i>Aequidens</i> Genus of fishes

Aequidens is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae found in South America. Formerly a wastebasket genus, as presently defined Aequidens is largely restricted to the Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin and river basins in The Guianas. The only exceptions are A. plagiozonatus which also occurs in the Paraná Basin, and A. tetramerus which also occurs in the Parnaíba River.

<i>Geophagus</i> Genus of fishes

Geophagus is a genus of cichlids that mainly live in South America as far south as Argentina and Uruguay, but a single species, G. crassilabris is from Panama. They are found in a wide range of freshwater habitats. They are part of a group popularly known as eartheaters and mostly feed by picking up mouthfuls of sediment to sift out food items such as invertebrates, plant material and detritus. The largest species reach up to 28 cm (11 in) in standard length. They are mostly kept in aquariums.

<i>Mikrogeophagus</i> Genus of fishes

Mikrogeophagus is a genus of cichlids native to the Llanos wetlands and Guaporé–Mamoré river system in tropical South America. They are dwarf cichlids that reach up to 6 cm (2.4 in) in standard length.

<i>Dicrossus</i> Genus of fishes

Dicrossus is a genus of small cichlid fishes native to rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. These cichlids have several dark spots on the sides of their bodies. Depending on the species, they typically only reach 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) in length.

<i>Apistogramma eremnopyge</i> Species of fish

Apistogramma eremnopyge is a species of cichlid. It is only known from the Rio Pintuyacu, a tributary of the Rio Itaya near Iquitos, Peru. Most of the tributaries of this river system carry acid blackwater.

<i>Nannacara</i> Genus of fishes

Nannacara is a genus of small freshwater cichlid fish endemic to South America. The genus is part of the Cichlasomatini tribe of the Cichlasomatinae subfamily. In the aquarium hobby, the fish is considered a dwarf cichlid along with Apistogramma, Mikrogeophagus, and Dicrossus species. Nannacara anomala is the most commonly encountered species in the aquarium trade.

<i>Laetacara</i> Genus of fishes

Laetacara is a small genus of cichlids native to freshwater habitats in tropical and subtropical South America, ranging from the upper Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Paraná River basin Argentina. The genus is also collectively known as the smiling acaras. Like all cichlids, Laetacara species have well-developed brood care.

<i>Mesonauta</i> Genus of fishes

Mesonauta, the flag cichlids, is a small genus of cichlids native to the Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo, Paraná and Paraguay basins in South America. Mesonauta is included in the subfamily Cichlasomatinae. They occur in various freshwater habitats such as streams and lakes, especially in areas with little water movement and aquatic vegetation. They are generally found in small groups that stay near the water surface. To avoid predators, adults may jump out of the water and juveniles mimic leaves.

<i>Apistogramma nijsseni</i> Species of fish

Apistogramma nijsseni is a species of cichlid fish, endemic to highly restricted local black water habitats in the Quebrada Carahuayte, a small stream in the Ucayali River drainage, southern Peru. The male reaches a maximum length of 8 cm (3 in), the female remaining somewhat smaller. Apistogramma brooding females assume a bright yellow and black aposematic coloring: in A. nijsseni, unusually, a healthy, unstressed female retains this coloring. The species is popular aquarium fish amongst dwarf cichlid hobbyists, though it does not often appear in the general pet fish market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sven O. Kullander</span> Swedish ichthyologist

Sven Oscar Kullander is a Swedish biologist specialised in ichthyology. He primarily researches cichlids – notably the genus Apistogramma and the Cichlasoma-complex – and other tropical fresh water fishes. He also has been working with endangered fish species in Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heroini</span> Tribe of fishes

Heroini is a fish tribe from the Cichlasomatinae subfamily in the cichlid family. All cichlids native to the Greater Antilles, United States, Mexico and northern Central America are members of this tribe. It also includes most cichlid species in southern Central America and several species from South America. A large percentage of its species were formerly placed in the genus Cichlasoma but have since been moved to other genera.

<i>Apistogramma agassizii</i> Species of fish

Apistogramma agassizii, commonly known as Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, is a species of cichlid found in the Marañón and Ucayali River in Peru, some tributaries of the Amazon River, as well as downstream to the estuary in the Atlantic. It is named after the Swiss-American zoologist and geologist Louis Agassiz (1807-1873).

<i>Andinoacara</i> Genus of fishes

Andinoacara is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae. The genus was described in 2009. Before this the members of Andinoacara were placed in the "catch-all" genus Aequidens although they are not closely related to the other members of this genus. The genus Andinoacara is restricted to freshwater habitats in northwestern South America and southern Central America. There are no members of the genus in the Amazon Basin.

<i>Apistogramma macmasteri</i> Species of fish

Apistogramma macmasteri is a dwarf cichlid in the tribe Geophagini, one of the tribes of the subfamily of American cichlids, the Cichlinae. It is a freshwater fish that lives in the rivers Guaytiquía and Metica in the Meta River system. The Meta river system is a part of the Orinoco basin in Colombia. They live in areas with soft sandy bottom and plenty of dead roots and branches in the water. Plants are uncommon in areas where Apistogramma macmasteri is found.

<i>Apistogramma viejita</i> Species of fish of Colombia

Apistogramma viejita is a dwarf cichlid in the subfamily Cichlinae, in the tribe Geophagini. It is a benthopelagic freshwater fish that lives in the Meta River and the Orinoco River in Colombia. They grow up to 4.6 cm in standard length.

Andinoacara stalsbergi is a species of South American freshwater fish in the family Cichlidae. It was previously included in A. rivulatus, but was described as a separate species in 2009. The specific name honours the Norwegian aquarist Alf Stalsberg who collected the type of this species and who has had a “longstanding commitment to increase the knowledge about cichlid fishes”.

The Cichlid Room Companion (CRC) is a membership-based webpage dedicated to the fishes of the Cichlid family (Cichlidae). The site was launched in May 1996 and offers arguably the most comprehensive authoritative catalogue of cichlids on the web, which is illustrated with more than 25,000 photographs of fishes and 2,000 of habitats, as well as over 300 videos of cichlids and their habitats. It also “offers access to ample information about 253 genera and 2371 species”, a discussion forum as well as many articles about taxonomy, natural history, fish-keeping, field accounts, conservation, and other cichlid related topics; mostly written by citizen scientists and people who specialize in cichlids. The species summaries provided in the form of profiles include taxonomic, distribution and habitat, distribution maps, conservation, natural history, captive maintenance, images, videos, collection records, and an extensive bibliography of the species included and have been prepared by world-class specialists. A document establishes the standards followed in the preparation and maintenance of the cichlid catalogue. The site is administered by its creator and editor, Juan Miguel Artigas-Azas, a naturalist, who is also an aquarist and a nature photographer. In 2008, the American Cichlid Association (ACA) awarded Artigas-Azas the Guy Jordan Retrospective Award, which is the maximum honor that association gives to people who have done extensive contribution to the international cichlid hobby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cichlasomatini</span> Tribe of fishes

Cichlastomatini is a tribe of cichlids from South America, one of two tribes that make up the subfamily Cichlasomatinae. They were recognised in 1983 as an assemblage by the Swedish ichthyologist Sven O. Kullander by their four rather than five 5 dentary foramina in the lateralis canal system of the head, describing them as closely related to the genus Cichlasoma. Melanie Stiassny suggested that these fishes recognised as a clade by Kullander were divided into two groupings in 1991 which she termed cichlasomines and heroines, Kullander formally raised these to the tribes Cichlasomatini and Heroini of the subfamily Cichlasomatinae in 1999. In other classifications the tribe Cichlasomatini is placed in the subfamily Cichlinae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). Species of Apistogramma in FishBase . July 2019 version.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 van der Sleen, P.; J.S. Albert, eds. (2017). Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas. Princeton University Press. pp. 366–367. ISBN   978-0-691-17074-9.
  3. 1 2 Kullander, S.O., and E.J.G. Ferreira (2005). Two new species of Apistogramma Regan (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the rio Trombetas, Pará State, Brazil. Neotrop. ichthyol. 3(3). doi : 10.1590/S1679-62252005000300003
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Wise, M. (1 October 2017). "Apistogramma Species List By Species-Groups/Complexes". Apisto sites. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Tougard, C., C.R.G. Dávila, U. Römer, F. Duponchelle, F. Cerqueira, E. Paradis, B. Guinand, C.A. Chávez, V. Salas, S. Quérouil, S. Sirvas, and J.-F. Renno (2017). Tempo and rates of diversification in the South American cichlid genus Apistogramma (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae). PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182618. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0182618
  6. 1 2 3 Römer, U., Duponchelle, F., Vela Diaz, A., Garcia Davilla, C., Sirvas, S., Diaz Catchay, C. & Renno, J.-F. (2011): Apistogramma cinilabra sp. n.: Description of a potentially endangered endemic cichlid species (Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae) from the Departamento Loreto, Peru. Vertebrate Zoology, 61 (1): 3-23.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Römer, U., Soares, D.P., García Dávila, C.R., Duponchelle, F., Renno, J.-F. & Hahn, I. (2015): Re-description of Apistogramma payaminonis Kullander, 1986, with descriptions of two new cichlid species of the genus Apistogramma (Teleostei, Perciformes, Geophaginae) from northern Peru. Vertebrate Zoology, 65 (3): 305–332.
  8. 1 2 3 Staeck, W., and I. Schindler (2019). Apistogramma psammophila – a new geophagine dwarf cichlid (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Rio Atabapo drainage in Colombia and Venezuela. Vertebrate Zoology 69(1): 103-110.
  9. 1 2 Rodrigues, R.R., J. Zuanon, K. Del-Claro, and L.N. Carvalho (2012). Reproductive behavior of the Amazonian dwarf cichlid Apistogramma hippolytae Kullander, 1982: offsetting costs and benefits. Acta Ethologica 15(1): 1-7. doi : 10.1007/s10211-011-0107-8.
  10. ↑ Rodrigues, R.R., L.N. Carvalho, J. Zuanon, and K. Del-Claro (2009). Color changing and behavioral context in the Amazonian Dwarf Cichlid Apistogramma hippolytae (Perciformes). Neotrop. ichthyol. 7(4). doi : 10.1590/S1679-62252009000400013
  11. ↑ "Apistogramma agassizii". SeriouslyFish. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  12. ↑ "Apistogramma cacatuoides". SeriouslyFish. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "Apistogramma hongsloi". dwarfcichlid.com. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  14. ↑ "Apistogramma macmasteri". SeriouslyFish. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  15. 1 2 Römer, U.; C.I. Römer; G. Estivals; A.V. Díaz; F. Duponchelle; C.R.G. Dávila; I. Hahn; J.-F. Renn (2017). "Description of a new maternal larvophilic mouth-brooding cichlid species, Apistogramma megastoma sp. n. (Teleostei: Perciformes: Geophaginae), from Loreto, Peru". Vertebrate Zoology. 467 (2): 151–171. doi: 10.3897/vz.67.e31580 . S2CID   90387578.
  16. ↑ Römer, C.I.; U. Römer; I. Hahn; D.P. Soares (2018). "Beiträge zur Biologie von Apistogramma-Arten: Auch Apistogramma pantalone Römer et al., 2006 ist ein fakultativer Maulbrüter". DCG-Informationen. 49 (9): 202–211.
  17. ↑ Römer, U., and W. Beisenherz (1996). Environmental determination of sex in Apistogramma (Cichlidae) and two other freshwater fishes (Teleostei). Journal of Fish Biology 48(4): 714-725. doi : 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1996.tb01467.x
  18. ↑ Ospina-Álvarez, N., and F. Piferrer (2008). Temperature-dependent sex determination in fish revisited: Prevalence, a single sex ratio response pattern, and possible effects of climate change. PLoS One 3(7): e2837. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0002837
  19. ↑ López-Fernández, H., R.L. Honeycutt, M.L.J. Stiassny, and K.O. Winemiller (2005). Morphology, molecules, and character congruence in the phylogeny of South American geophagine cichlids (Perciformes, Labroidei). Zoologica Scripta 34(6): 627–651. doi : 10.1111/j.1463-6409.2005.00209.x
  20. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Apistogramma". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  21. ↑ Carvalho, A.P.C., R.A. Collins, J.G. Martínez, I.P. Farias, and T. Hrbek (2019). From shallow to deep divergences: mixed messages from Amazon Basin cichlids. Hydrobiologia 832(1): 317–329. doi : 10.1007/s10750-018-3790-x
  22. ↑ Römer, U. & Hahn, I. (2013): Apistogramma aguarico sp. n.: A new species of geophagine cichlid fish (Teleostei: Perciformes) from the Ecuadorian and Peruvian río Napo system. Vertebrate Zoology, 63 (2): 171-181.
  23. ↑ Römer, U., Beninde, J., Duponchelle, F., Vela Díaz, A., Ortega, H., Hahn, I., Soares, D.P., Díaz Cachay, C., García Dávila, C.R., Sirvas Cornejo, S. & Renno, J.-F. (2012): Description of Apistogramma allpahuayo sp. n., a new dwarf cichlid species (Teleostei: Perciformes: Geophaginae) from in and around the Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo Mishana, Loreto, Peru. Vertebrate Zoology, 62 (2): 189–212.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mesa S., L.M.; Lasso, C.A. (2011). Revisión del género Apistogramma Regan, 1913 (Perciformes, Cichlidae) en la cuenca del río Orinoco. Serie Editorial Recursos Hidrobiológicos y Pesqueros Continentales de Colombia. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. ISBN   978-958-8343-64-8.
  25. 1 2 Varella, H.R. & Britzke, R. (2016): Apistogramma eleutheria and A. flavipedunculata, two new species of dwarf cichlids from the rio Curuá on Serra do Cachimbo, Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 27 (1): 81-95.
  26. ↑ Schindler, I. & Staeck, W. (2013): Description of Apistogramma helkeri sp. n., a new geophagine dwarf cichlid (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the lower río Cuao (Orinoco drainage) in Venezuela. Vertebrate Zoology, 63 (3): 301-306.
  27. ↑ Varella, H.R. & Sabaj Pérez, M.H. (2014): A titan among dwarfs: Apistogramma kullanderi, new species (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 25 (3): 243-258.
  28. ↑ Mesa Salazar, L.M. & Lasso, C.A. (2011): Apistogramma megaptera (Perciformes: Cichlidae), una nueva especie para la cuenca del Orinoco. Biota Colombiana, 12 (1): 19-30.
  29. ↑ Britzke, R., Oliveira, C. & Kullander, S.O. (2014): Apistogramma ortegai (Teleostei: Cichlidae), a new species of cichlid fish from the Ampyiacu River in the Peruvian Amazon basin. Zootaxa, 3869 (4): 409–419.
  30. ↑ Römer, U., Beninde, J., Duponchelle, F., García Dávila, C.R., Vela Díaz, A. & Renno, J.-F. (2013): Description of Apistogramma paulmuelleri sp. n., a new geophagine cichlid species (Teleostei: Perciformes) from the Amazon river basin in Loreto, Peru. Vertebrate Zoology, 63 (1): 15-34.
  31. ↑ Römer, U., Beninde, J. & Hahn, I. (2011): Apistogramma playayacu sp. n.: Description of a new cichlid species (Teleostei: Perciformes: Geophaginae) from the Rio Napo system, Ecuador. Vertebrate Zoology, 61 (3): 321-333.
  32. ↑ Staeck, W. & Schindler, I. (2016): Apistogramma sororcula, a new dwarf cichlid (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the drainage of the rio Guaporé in Bolivia and Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology, 66 (2): 141-150.
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