number of cichlid groups

[wrs]

I know this isnt a NW only thing, but there is no general cichlid place, probably the chit chat, but this is about cichlids, so Ill post here.

I think there are 12 total,
1-peacocks
2-mbuna
3-shellies
4-tang rocks
5-malawi haps
6-victorian haps
7-central american
8-south american
9-east african
10-west african
11-Asian
12-madagascar

I know that alot of them are african, and the others new and asian, but when fully broken down. Are there any other groups?

 

[sevs]

I can't think of any more but then again I've never heard of a third of them. You may be able to subdivide south americans and centeral americans into more groups like: guapotes, mojarras, firemouths and their kin, theraps, dwarfs, eartheaters, acaras,pikes, and others

 

[wrs]

but those are individual fish. But Peacocks and Mbuna, though malawi, are not the same, so maybe dwarf south americans.

 

[juanveldez]

I don't really see the difference in how you broke down the africans and how sevs broke down the New Worlds.

as with africans there are just as many unique groups of New Worlds as there are Africans.

 

[freddyk]

then you have the Tang Deep waters, tang open waters, tang Tropheus (a group amongst themselves), Tang Sandsifters...

 

[juanveldez]

agreed freddyk even amongst the pikes there are break downs as to what the groups are.

 

[wrs]

then you have the Tang Deep waters, tang open waters, tang Tropheus (a group amongst themselves), Tang Sandsifters...

I never knew about those.

I did this for a prodject for english. And I said that groups I listed as the 12 basic cichlid groups. I never knew that there were all those tanganyikan types of cichlids.

 

[nc_nutcase]

I guess the first thing to do is establish a definition for "group". Then it will be easier to know where to draw the lines.

 

[wrs]

well, by groups I mean like ya know how there are all those fish clasified as Mbuna, and those as peacocks. Like something like that.

 

[nc_nutcase]

exactly... sounds to me like you have an idea of where to draw the line... but not a definition of 'group'.

 

[Jason_S]

for New worlds, I could see:

Guapotes -- all Parachromis and Petenia species
South American Eartheaters -- all Satanoperca, Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, Biotodoma (?), Acarichthys (?), Retroculus (?)
South American Dwarves -- all Microgeophagus, Appistogramma, Dicrossus (?)
Central American Eartheaters -- all Thorichthys and some Amphilophus (robertsoni, rostratum, crassilabrus, rhytisma, nourisatti, altifrons, longimanus etc)
Acaras -- most Aequidens, Bujurquina, Laetacara, Cleithracara, Guinacara, Acaronia (?), Krobia (?), Nannacara (?) and Tahuantinsoyoa
Pikes -- all Crenicichla and Teleocichla

then you have:

Chanchitos -- I believe refers to all proper Cichlasoma species
Peacock Bass -- all Cichla

I guess you could classify these as groups even though they are really just general names give to all species in 1 genus. To me, a "group" would be a name given to cichlids of a similar type but that come from more than 1 genus. Other than these above, I can't think of any more "groups".

As for Mojarra, I've seen this name before which I believe refers to Amphilophus-types but I'm not 100% sure on that. According to dictionary.com

mo·jar·ra Audio pronunciation of "mojarra" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (m-här)
n. pl. mojarra or mo·jar·ras

Any of several species of small, silvery, mainly tropical American marine fishes of the family Gerridae, having extremely protrusile mouths.

ps. I do think there could be a group for all Theraps, Paratheraps, Tomacichla and Vieja species.

pps. I guess you could also consider the exCichlasomas a group...these include but are not limited to the grammodes, istlanum, beani, bocourti, pearsei, salvini, festae, atromaculatum, trimaculatum, ufermanni and uropthalmus. these are according to Juan Miguel Artigas Azaz's site The Cichlid Room Companion. Though, imo if trimaculatum is considered exCichlasoma then lyonsi should be also.

ppps. The genus listed in the groups with (?) behind it are ones I'm not sure are technically considered part of the group but that I feel could/should be

 

[keane]

for New worlds, I could see:

Guapotes -- all Parachromis and Petenia species
South American Eartheaters -- all Satanoperca, Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, Biotodoma (?), Acarichthys (?), Retroculus (?)
South American Dwarves -- all Microgeophagus, Appistogramma, Dicrossus (?)
Central American Eartheaters -- all Thorichthys and some Amphilophus (robertsoni, rostratum, crassilabrus, rhytisma, nourisatti, altifrons, longimanus etc)
Acaras -- most Aequidens, Bujurquina, Laetacara, Cleithracara, Guinacara, Acaronia (?), Krobia (?), Nannacara (?) and Tahuantinsoyoa
Pikes -- all Crenicichla and Teleocichla

then you have:

Chanchitos -- I believe refers to all proper Cichlasoma species
Peacock Bass -- all Cichla

I guess you could classify these as groups even though they are really just general names give to all species in 1 genus. To me, a "group" would be a name given to cichlids of a similar type but that come from more than 1 genus. Other than these above, I can't think of any more "groups".

As for Mojarra, I've seen this name before which I believe refers to Amphilophus-types but I'm not 100% sure on that. According to dictionary.com

mo·jar·ra  Audio pronunciation of "mojarra" ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (m-här)
n. pl. mojarra or mo·jar·ras

    Any of several species of small, silvery, mainly tropical American marine fishes of the family Gerridae, having extremely protrusile mouths.

ps. I do think there could be a group for all Theraps, Paratheraps, Tomacichla and Vieja species.

pps. I guess you could also consider the exCichlasomas a group...these include but are not limited to the grammodes, istlanum, beani, bocourti, pearsei, salvini, festae, atromaculatum, trimaculatum, ufermanni and uropthalmus. these are according to Juan Miguel Artigas Azaz's site The Cichlid Room Companion. Though, imo if trimaculatum is considered exCichlasoma then lyonsi should be also.

ppps. The genus listed in the groups with (?) behind it are ones I'm not sure are technically considered part of the group but that I feel could/should be

yep...that's exactly how i would have split 'em too!!!

steve

 

[wrs]

yes that is what I would define as a group, I just didnt know exactly what to say, lol.

 

[sevs]

for New worlds, I could see:

Guapotes -- all Parachromis and Petenia species
South American Eartheaters -- all Satanoperca, Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, Biotodoma (?), Acarichthys (?), Retroculus (?)
South American Dwarves -- all Microgeophagus, Appistogramma, Dicrossus (?)
Central American Eartheaters -- all Thorichthys and some Amphilophus (robertsoni, rostratum, crassilabrus, rhytisma, nourisatti, altifrons, longimanus etc)
Acaras -- most Aequidens, Bujurquina, Laetacara, Cleithracara, Guinacara, Acaronia (?), Krobia (?), Nannacara (?) and Tahuantinsoyoa
Pikes -- all Crenicichla and Teleocichla

then you have:

Chanchitos -- I believe refers to all proper Cichlasoma species
Peacock Bass -- all Cichla

I guess you could classify these as groups even though they are really just general names give to all species in 1 genus. To me, a "group" would be a name given to cichlids of a similar type but that come from more than 1 genus. Other than these above, I can't think of any more "groups".

As for Mojarra, I've seen this name before which I believe refers to Amphilophus-types but I'm not 100% sure on that. According to dictionary.com

I was just wondering which categories angels, sevs, convicts, oscars, texas, salvinis, JDs, Uarus, and discus fall into.

 

[Jason_S]

I was just wondering which categories angels, sevs, convicts, oscars, texas, salvinis, JDs, Uarus, and discus fall into.

that's the thing...most of these don't fall into a group imo. that or they are their own group. For instance, oscar can be a generic term for any Astronotus species and the same goes for Discus (all Symphysodon), Angels (all Pterophyllum), Severums (all Heros) and Uarus (all Uaru). I wouldn't consider the JD, texas or convict to fall into any particular "group". Salvini I mentioned in the exCichlasoma group.