Microgeophagus
| Microgeophagus | ||||||||||||
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South American butterfly cichlid |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Microgeophagus | ||||||||||||
| Meulengracht-Madsen , 1968 |
Microgeophagus is a genus of small geophagin cichlids (Cichlidae). The genus includes only two scientifically described species . In their relatively large distribution area in the tropical savannas of South America , the habitats of these species do not overlap. Microgeophagus (translated: "small earth eater") is a very original stage of development in the Geophagini tribe and isnot very close tothe much more specialized dwarf cichlids of the genus Apistogramma . Nevertheless, its most famous representative, the South American butterfly cichlid , was placed at Apistogramma for29 years.
features
According to Kullander , the microgeophagus species differ from the Apistogramma in their high-backed bodies, flat or forked caudal fins, not very pronounced external gender differences and, above all, in their reproductive behavior : microgeophagus are open-brooders and, as fixed pairs, form a parent family .
Systematics
The decision about the valid generic name was discussed in heated disputes for years. Only after Kullander the genre in 1977 Papiliochromis had described that already in 1967 by Meulengracht-Madsen established for the "Ramirezi" genus was Mikrogeophagus quasi rediscovered and received after the priority principle priority, even before Microgeophagus Axelrod ., 1971
The genus Mikrogeophagus contains only two species:
- Bolivian butterfly cichlid ( Mikrogeophagus altispinosus )
- South American butterfly cichlid ( Mikrogeophagus ramirezi )
literature
- Koslowski, I. (2002): The Cichlids of America. Volume 2. Apistogramma & Co. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-8001-3820-4 .
- Kullander, SO (1977): Papiliochromis gen. N., A new genus of South American cichlid fish (Teleostei, Perciformes) . Zoologica scripta v. 6 (no. 3): 253-254.
- Reis, RE, SO Kullander & CJ Ferraris, Jr. (2003): Check list of the freshwater fishes of South and Central America . CLOFFSCA: i-xi + 1-729.
- Robins, CR & RM Bailey (1982): The status of the generic names Microgeophagus, Pseudoapistogramma, Pseudogeophagus and Papiliochromis (Pisces: Cichlidae) . Copeia 1982 (no. 1): 208-210.
Web links
- Mikrogeophagus on Fishbase.org (English)