Crenicichla

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Crenicichla
Crenicichla punctata.jpg
Crenicichla punctata
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: Crenicaratina
Genus: Crenicichla
Heckel, 1840
Type species
Crenicichla macrophthalma
Heckel, 1840
Synonyms

BatrachopsHeckel, 1840
BoggianiaPerugia, 1897

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. [1]

Contents

Description

The smallest species of Crenicichla (notably members of the C. wallacii species group) are no larger than 6–14 cm (2.4–5.5 in), [2] and are referred to as "dwarf cichlids" for the aquarium hobby though their aggressive and territorial habits make them unsuitable for novice keepers. The biggest pike cichlids can grow to about 50 cm (20 in) long. [2] Most Crenicichla measure in the range of 15–30 cm (6–12 in). [3] Like many other predatory fishes, a pike cichlid has a wide mouth and elongated body.

Distribution and ecology

A 19th century watercolor painting of a pike cichlid from Brazil by Jacques Burkhardt. Crenicichla lugubris (Teffe, Brazil) MH-MCZArtwork ARC 209-350.jpg
A 19th century watercolor painting of a pike cichlid from Brazil by Jacques Burkhardt.

The genus Crenicichla is native to freshwater in tropical and subtropical South America east of the Andes, ranging from Trinidad and the Guiana Shield (including Orinoco), through the Amazon and Río de la Plata Basins, south as far as Río Negro in Argentina. [4] Although widespread as a group, the individual species are often restricted to a single river or river basin. [4] [5] They are found in a wide range of habitats, including rivers, streams, pools and lakes; some species are rheophilic. [4] [5]

The vast majority of pike cichlids are predatory and feed on fish, insects, and other small animals. They usually place themselves where they can stay undetected by the prey, like close to a sunken tree stem or behind a rock. This behavior, as well as the correspondingly adapted shape, which resembles that the unrelated pikes (Esocidae) of the Holarctic, gives the pike cichlids their common name. An exception is C. tapii, which is similar in general appearance to other pike cichlids, but unusual for being gregarious and feeding on periphyton. [5]

Species

There are currently around 93 recognized species in this genus: [3] [6] [7]

In addition to these, several undescribed species are known. [2]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Cichlasoma</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Apistogramma</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Aequidens</i> Genus of fishes

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<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>Australoheros</i> Genus of fishes

Australoheros is a fish genus in the cichlid family. Most are restricted to rivers and streams in southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina, but at least one species is also found in lakes and swamps. This genus was erected after a taxonomic revision in 2006. These are relatively small cichlids that typically do not surpass 10–15 centimetres (4–6 in) in length, although A. facetus reaches about 20 cm (8 in).

<i>Teleocichla</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Mesonauta</i> Genus of fishes

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

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<i>Crenicichla chicha</i> Species of fish

Crenicichla chicha is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the Rio Papagaio, upper rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil. This species reaches a length of 13.8 cm (5.4 in).

<i>Crenicichla gillmorlisi</i> Species of fish

Crenicichla gillmorlisi is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the Río Acaray drainage in Paraguay. This species reaches a length of 17.4 cm (6.9 in).

Crenicichla monicae is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the lower Rio Uaupés and lower Rio Içana, tributaries of the upper Rio Negro in Brazil. This species reaches a length of 27.3 cm (10.7 in).

Crenicichla tuca is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the Lower Iguazú River basin above the Iguazú Falls in Argentina. Distributional range extends upstream of the Misiones Province of Argentina into the neighboring state of Paraná, Brazil. This species reaches a length of 15 cm (5.9 in).

Crenicichla hu is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in Argentina. This species reaches a length of 15.3 cm (6.0 in).

Crenicichla tapii is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the lower Iguazú River basin above the Iguazú Falls in Argentina. Distributional range extends upstream of the Misiones Province, Argentina into the neighboring state of Paraná, Brazil. This species reaches a length of 12 cm (4.7 in).

Crenicichla taikyra is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the middle río Paraná in Argentina. This species reaches a length of 11.6 cm (4.6 in).

<i>Crenicichla ypo</i> Species of fish

Crenicichla ypo is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found in the Arroyo Uruguaí basin, middle Paraná River basin in Misiones, Argentina. This species reaches a length of 13.7 cm (5.4 in).

Crenicichla ploegi is a species of cichlid native to South America. It is found swimming in Brazil. This species reaches a length of 28 cm (11 in).

References

  1. Kullander, Sven O.; Lucena, Carlos A. Santos de (June 2006). "A review of the species of Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Atlantic coastal rivers of southeastern Brazil from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul States, with descriptions of three new species". Neotropical Ichthyology. 4 (2): 127–146. doi: 10.1590/s1679-62252006000200001 .
  2. 1 2 3 Gottwald, J: Crenicichla arten.
  3. 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2015). Species of Crenicichla in FishBase . August 2015 version.
  4. 1 2 3 Piálek, Lubomír; Říčan, Oldřich; Casciotta, Jorge; Almirón, Adriana; Zrzavý, Jan (January 2012). "Multilocus phylogeny of Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae), with biogeography of the C. lacustris group: Species flocks as a model for sympatric speciation in rivers". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 62 (1): 46–61. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.006 . PMID   21971056.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Piálek, L., Dragová, K., Casciotta, J., Almirón, A. & Říčan, O. (2015): Description of two new species of Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the lower Iguazú River with a taxonomic reappraisal of C. iguassuensis, C. tesay and C. yaha. Historia Natural, 5(2): 5–27. S2CID   51899505
  6. 1 2 CASCIOTTA, JORGE; ALMIRÓN, ADRIANA; AICHINO, DANILO; GÓMEZ, SERGIO; PIÁLEK, LUBOMÍR; ŘÍČAN, OLDŘICH (16 October 2013). "Crenicichla taikyra (Teleostei: Cichlidae), a new species of pike cichlid from the middle río Paraná, Argentina" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3721 (4): 379–86. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3721.4.5. PMID   26120682.
  7. 1 2 Mattos, J.L., Schindler, I., Ottoni, F.P. & Cheffe, M.M. (2014): A new species of Crenicichla from the upper Rio das Antas basin, dos Patos lagoon system, southern Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 64 (1): 35–42.
  8. Ito, Priscila Madoka M.; Py-Daniel, Lúcia H. Rapp (September 2015). "A small new species of Crenicichla Heckel, 1840 from middle rio Xingu, Brazil (Teleostei: Cichlidae)". Neotropical Ichthyology. 13 (3): 471–478. doi: 10.1590/1982-0224-20140105 .
  9. Varella, Henrique R.; Kullander, Sven O.; Lima, Flávio C. T. (2012). "Crenicichla chicha, a new species of pike cichlid (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the rio Papagaio, upper rio Tapajós basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil". Neotropical Ichthyology. 10 (2): 233–244. doi: 10.1590/s1679-62252012000200002 .
  10. KULLANDER, SVEN O.; DE LUCENA, CARLOS A. SANTOS (23 April 2013). "Crenicichla gillmorlisi, a new species of cichlid fish (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Paraná river drainage in Paraguay". Zootaxa. 3641 (2): 149–64. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3641.2.3 . PMID   26287074.
  11. Kullander, Sven O.; Varella, Henrique R. (September 2015). "Wallace's Pike Cichlid Gets a Name after 160 Years: A New Species of Cichlid Fish (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Upper Rio Negro in Brazil". Copeia. 103 (3): 512–519. doi:10.1643/ci-14-169.