Biotodoma
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| Eigenmann & Kennedy , 1903 |
Biotodoma ( Syn .: Mesops Günther, 1962 ) is a genus of cichlids that occurs in northern South America in the Amazon basin , in the Orinoco river basin and in Guyana . The genus was formed from two species that were originallyassigned to Geophagus . The scientific name is made up of the Greek "bios" (= life) and the Latin "doma" (= house) and was given because it was originally assumed that the fish are mouthbrooders .
features
Biotodoma species are small cichlids that are 10 to 15 centimeters long. The body is oval and strongly flattened at the sides, the head short with a small, terminal mouth. The fish are light gray-brown in color, the sides of the body may have a more or less pronounced metallic shimmering banding, depending on where they were found. The deep black blindfold as well as a black, golden bordered side spot, which lies between the dorsal fin and the upper side line or between the two side lines, is striking . The region between the gill cover and the middle of the body often turns orange to red-brown in older fish. The sexes are difficult to distinguish. Older males are usually larger, have elongated outer caudal fin rays and show a clearly visible blue line or dot pattern on their "cheeks". The relatively large, indented caudal fin is typical of the genus.
Reproduction
Biotodoma species spawn in a pit that the females dig into the bottom of the water and form a parent family .
species
The FishBase database currently lists two types.
- Biotodoma cupido (Heckel, 1840)
- Biotodoma wavrini (Gosse, 1963)
The population in Essequibo in Guyana, which is mostly attributed to Biotodoma cupido , could be a third, previously undescribed species.
literature
- Horst Linke, Wolfgang Staek: American cichlids II, large cichlids. Tetra-Verlag, Bissendorf 1997, ISBN 3-8974-5101-8
- Claus Schaefer: Biotodoma. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , p. 154 f.
Web links
- Biotodoma on Fishbase.org (English)