| Rocio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Jack Dempsey (R. octofasciata) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Tribe: | Heroini |
| Genus: | Rocio Schmitter-Soto, 2007 |
| Type species | |
| Heros octofasciatus Regan, 1903 | |
Rocio is a small genus of cichlid freshwater fishes from southern Mexico and northern Central America. [1]
There are currently four recognized species in this genus: [1] [2]
These have historically been placed in the genera Cichlasoma or Heros , but they are quite distinct. [1] R. gemmata and R. ocotal were typically regarded as populations of the closely related R. octofasciata until 2007; a review in 2018 recommended that R. gemmata should be considered a synonym of R. octofasciata, [3] whereas a review in 2021 argued that they should be recognized as separate. [4]
The genus name is derived from name of J. J. Schmitter-Soto's wife. Meaning dew of the morning in Spanish, this ties in with the colorful spotting that is found in members of this genus. [2]
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.
Maylandia or Metriaclima is a genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. They belong to the mbuna (rock-dwelling) haplochromines.
Paraneetroplus is a genus of cichlid fish native to moderately to fast-flowing waters in the Coatzacoalcos, Grijalva and Papaloapan river basins in southern Mexico. They reach up to 20–25.5 cm (8–10 in) in length.
Thorichthys is a genus of cichlid fish that is native to the Atlantic slope of Middle America, ranging from southern Veracruz and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, to Guatemala and Honduras, with introduced populations in a few other countries. They tend to inhabit moderately-flowing to standing water such as rivers, streams, lakes, ditches and lagoons, and they are primarily freshwater fish, although T. helleri and T. meeki may occur in slightly brackish habitats.
Vieja is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America and Mexico. The majority of the species are freshwater fish found in stagnant or slow-moving waters of southern Mexico to El Salvador, but V. maculicauda, which also occurs in brackish waters, ranges south to Panama. They are high-bodied cichlids that reach lengths of up to 17–35 cm (7–14 in) depending on the exact species. Vieja feed mostly on vegetable matter, but may also take small invertebrates.
Archocentrus is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America. It currently contains a single species, the flier cichlid, which is found in stagnant and slow-moving freshwater habitats such as lakes, ponds, ditches, swamps and rivers in Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It is up to 11 cm (4.3 in) long and feeds on invertebrates and detritus.
Amphilophus is a genus of cichlid fishes from Central America, ranging from southern Mexico to Panama. The genus currently contains 23 species, including several that are well-known from the aquarium trade. However, studies led by Oldřich Říčan in 2008 and 2016 suggested that several species within Amphilophus should be moved to the genus Astatheros. Species proposed to be moved to Astatheros in 2008 were A. alfari, A. altifrons, A. bussingi, A. diquis, A. longimanus, A. macracanthus, A. margaritifer, A. rhytisma, A. robertsoni and A. rostratus. Further genetic studies led Říčan to put A. macracanthus in Astatheros, but to put A. alfari, A. altifrons, A. bussingi, A. diquis, A. longimanus, A. rhytisma, A. robertsoni and A. rostratus within the genus Cribroheros. Říčan's study suggests that the Astatheros species are more closely related to the Jack Dempsey and rainbow cichlid than to the remaining Amphilophus species.
Herichthys is a small genus of cichlid fishes. Most are endemic to Mexico, but H. cyanoguttatus is also found in southern Texas, and has been introduced to central Texas and Florida. In 2015, the genus was split, and 7 species moved into Nosferatu.
Vieja melanurus, the quetzal cichlid, redhead cichlid or firehead cichlid, is a species of cichlid that is native to the Lake Petén system, the Grijalva–Usumacinta River basin and other Atlantic river drainages in southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, with introduced populations in a few other countries. It typically inhabits slow-moving or standing waters such as rivers, lakes and lagoons; although primarily a freshwater fish, it may occur in slightly brackish habitats. It is popular in the aquarium trade, where often listed under the synonym V. synspila/synspilum. It is almost entirely herbivorous, but may also take small animal prey.
Amatitlania sajica, the T-bar cichlid or Sajica cichlid, is a Central American species of cichlid found in freshwater streams and lakes on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica. The fish is tan colored with seven indistinct bars on the body. The third bar is usually prominent and coupled with a dark lateral stripe running from the gill cover results in a horizontal T-shaped mark, hence the common name of T-bar cichlid.
The Cichlasomatinae are a subfamily of cichlid fishes, including all ciclids native to the Greater Antilles, United States, Mexico and Central America, and many of the cichlids from South America. The subfamily Cichlasomatinae is often divided into two tribes: Cichlasomatini and Heroini, however some authorities classify these two tribes as part of the wider Neotropical and marginally Nearctic subfamily Cichlinae.
Amatitlania is a genus of cichlid fishes native to freshwater habitats in Central America from El Salvador and Guatemala to Panama. They are fairly small cichlids, typically reaching up to 6.4–10 cm (2.5–4 in) in standard length depending on exact species, although captives may grow larger.
Cryptoheros is a genus of small cichlid fishes from Central America and southeast Mexico. They reach up to 13 cm (5.1 in) in length.
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.
Nosferatu is a genus of cichlid fishes endemic to the Rio Panuco Basin and the tributaries of the adjacent Tamiahua Lagoon and San Andrés Lagoon in the states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas and Querétaro, Mexico. The genus is characterized by a prolongation in the size of the symphysial pair of teeth relative to that of the other teeth in the outer row of the upper jaw ; breeding pigmentation that consists of darkening of ventral area extending over nostrils, opercular series, and pectoral fins; depressed dorsal fin rarely expands beyond anterior third of caudal fin; and an elongated, elastic, smooth caecum adhered to a saccular stomach.
The Cichlid Room Companion (CRC), is a membership-based webpage dedicated to the fishes of the Cichlid family (Cichlidae). The site was launched in November 1997 and offers arguably the most comprehensive authoritative catalogue of cichlids in the web, which is illustrated with more than 20,000 photographs of fishes and 1,000 of habitats, as well as over 270 videos of cichlids and their habitats. It also “offers access to information about over 150 full genera and 900 full species profiles”, a discussion forum, as well as various articles about taxonomy, natural history, fish-keeping, field accounts, collecting expeditions 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, conservation, natural history, captive maintenance 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, whom 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.
Kihnichthys ufermanni, the Usumacinta cichlid, is a species of cichlid found in a few rivers in the Usumacinta River basin in Guatemala and southern Mexico. It typically occurs in rivers that are about 10–50 m (33–164 ft) wide, fairly deep, have few or no aquaritc plants, and a variable water current. This species is the only known member of its genus, but several of its features, including the chisel-like teeth, are shared with Cincelichthys and whether they should be merged into a single genus is not yet fully resolved; a review in 2020 recommended that the Usumacinta cichlid should be moved into Cincelichthys. The Usumacinta cichlid reaches a standard length of 25 cm (10 in).
Cincelichthys is a genus of high-bodied cichlids found in southern Mexico to Guatemala, where they inhabit lakes, rivers and other freshwater habitats. They are large cichlids, up to 35–42.5 cm (14–17 in) long depending on species, with females reaching smaller sizes than males.
The Montecristo cichlid is a species of freshwater fish from the Atlantic slope of southern Mexico and Guatemala. This cichlid occurs in lagoons, creeks and rivers with slight to moderate current in the Grijalva–Usumacinta, Candelaria, Champotón and Coatzacoalcos river drainages. It is currently recognized as the only species in its genus, but it is closely related to –and possibly should be merged into– Vieja. The Montecristo cichlid reaches up to 24 cm (9.4 in) in standard length.
Mayaheros is a genus of cichlid fish that is native to Mexico and northern Central America. This genus has a disjunct distribution, with the M. urophthalmus group being found in the Atlantic drainages of southeastern Mexico, Belize, eastern Guatemala, northern Honduras and northeastern Nicaragua, while M. beani is the northernmost cichlid in the Pacific drainage, ranging from Jalisco to Sonora in northwestern Mexico. Both inhabit a wide range of habitats such as freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, pools and marshes, as well as brackish waters like estuaries, lagoons and mangrove, with members of the M. urophthalmus group sometimes even occurring in caves or coastal marine waters. They are medium-sized to large cichlids that are omnivorous, feeding mostly on small animals, but also plants and detritus.