Gold-bellied dwarf cichlid

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Gold-bellied dwarf cichlid
Systematics
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Cichlinae
Tribe : Geophagini
Genre : Apistogramma
Type : Gold-bellied dwarf cichlid
Scientific name
Apistogramma atahualpa
Romans , 1997

The gold-bellied dwarf cichlid ( Apistogramma atahualpa ) is a small species of cichlid that occurs in the upper Peruvian Amazon in the catchment area of ​​the Río Nanay and in black waters near Iquitos . The fish was scientifically described in 1997 and before its description in the aquarium hobby was known as Apistogramma sp. known as "sunset". The species epithet is a dedication name in honor of Atahualpa the last ruler of the Inca Empire .

features

The gold-bellied dwarf cichlid is a medium-sized dwarf cichlid, with a laterally flattened body, strong jaws, thick, fleshy lips and a distinct sexual dimorphism . In its external appearance it resembles the panda dwarf cichlid ( Apistogramma nijsseni ) and Apistogramma payaminonis . In the males, the fin membranes supported by the first five to seven dorsal fin rays are elongated. The males are light bluish to olive green in color with a strong yellow to orange belly, a dark longitudinal stripe between the eye and the caudal peduncle, another dark stripe that runs diagonally down from the eye to the lower edge of the gill cover and dark spots on the back that extend into the lower thirds of the dorsal fin reach. In the strongly yellow colored females this row of spots becomes a dark band in the lower half of the dorsal fin and on the back.

All scales except for a few round scales in front of the dorsal fin are comb scales. The gold-bellied dwarf cichlid differs from all other Apistogramma species by a double spot on the tail stalk, a rounded, in rare cases straight or slightly indented, transparent tail fin without any patterns in the form of stripes or dots and the row of spots along the Dorsal fin base.

The fish are hiding-place spawners where the female initially cares for the brood alone, while the male defends the territory.

literature

  • Uwe Römer, (1997): Diagnoses of two new dwarf cichlids (Teleostei; Perciformes) from Peru, Apistogramma atahualpa and Apistogramma panduro n. Spp . Cichlid Bulletin No. 182: 9-14.

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