''Amphilophus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...

fishes from

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, ranging from southern Mexico to

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

. The genus currently contains 23 species, including several that are well-known from the

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

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'' (which would be the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

for ''Astatheros''), ''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 ''Cribroheros'' is a genus of cichlid found in Middle America. These freshwater fish are distributed over most of Middle America, from western Panama to southern Mexico, on both Atlantic and Pacific slopes. Depending on species, their habitat r ...

''. Říčan's study suggests that the ''Astatheros'' species are more closely related to the Jack Dempsey and

rainbow cichlid '' Herotilapia multispinosa'' (previously: ''Archocentrus multispinosus'') also known as the rainbow cichlid is a Central American freshwater fish of the cichlid family. It is found on the Atlantic slope of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica fro ...

than to the remaining ''Amphilophus'' species. Several species from this genus are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the small Lake Apoyo (6 species) and

Lake Xiloá A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

(4 species) in

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

, and are believed to be the result of

sympatric speciation Sympatric speciation is the evolution of a new species from a surviving ancestral species while both continue to inhabit the same geographic region. In evolutionary biology and biogeography, sympatric and sympatry are terms referring to organi ...

Species

According to

FishBase FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web.

, there are currently 16 recognized species in this genus, listed below. According to Catalog of Fishes, ''Amphilophus erythraeus'' is a valid species (considered a

synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

of ''A. labiatus'' by FishBase), ''Amphilophus margaritifer'' is an invalid species, and ''Amphilophus'' includes two additional species, '' Amphilophus istlanus'' and '' Amphilophus trimaculatus'' (both these are placed in ''

Cichlasoma ''Cichlasoma'' is a genus of freshwater fish in the cichlid family. The genus was previously very large (a wastebasket taxon), including cichlids from North America, including Central America, and South America. Reclassification and subsequent s ...

'' by FishBase). Whereas ''trimaculatus'' belongs in ''Amphilophus'' based on genetics, appearance and behavior, the position of ''istlanus'' is less clear, as nDNA places it in ''Amphilophus'', but mDNA places it in '' Mayaheros''; ''istlanus'' is likely the result of hybrid speciation involving ''A. trimaculatus'' and ''Mayaheros beani''. * '' Amphilophus amarillo'' Stauffer & McKaye, 2002 * '' Amphilophus astorquii'' Stauffer, McCrary & K. E. Black, 2008 (Black midas cichlid)
/ref> * ''

Amphilophus chancho ''Amphilophus chancho'' is a large cichlid fish endemic to Lake Apoyo in Nicaragua.Stauffer JR, Jr., McCrary JK, & Black KE (2008)Three new species of cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICA ...

'' Stauffer, McCrary & K. E. Black, 2008 * ''

Amphilophus citrinellus ''Amphilophus citrinellus'' is a large cichlid fish endemic to the San Juan River and adjacent watersheds in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In the aquarium trade ''A. citrinellus'' is often sold under the trade name of Midas cichlid. ''A. citrinel ...

'' ( Günther, 1864) (Midas cichlid) * ''

Amphilophus flaveolus ''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 ...

'' Stauffer, McCrary & K. E. Black, 2008 * ''

Amphilophus globosus ''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 ...

'' Geiger, McCrary & Stauffer, 2010
/ref> * '' Amphilophus hogaboomorum'' ( Carr & Giovannoli, 1950) * ''

Amphilophus labiatus ''Amphilophus labiatus'' is a large cichlid fish endemic to Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua in Central America. It is also known by the common name red devil cichlid, which it shares with another closely related cichlid, '' A. citrinellus''. Des ...

'' ( Günther, 1864) (Red devil) * '' Amphilophus lyonsi'' ( J. P. Gosse, 1966) * '' Amphilophus margaritifer'' ( Günther, 1862) * '' Amphilophus sagittae'' Stauffer & McKaye, 2002 * ''

Amphilophus supercilius ''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 ...

'' Geiger, McCrary & Stauffer, 2010 * '' Amphilophus tolteca'' Recknagel, Kusche,

Elmer Elmer is a name of Germanic British origin. The given name originated as a surname, a medieval variant of the given name Aylmer, derived from Old English ''æþel'' (noble) and ''mær'' (famous). It was adopted as a given name in the United State ...

& A. Meyer, 2013Recknagel, H., Kusche, H., Elmer, K.R. & Meyer, A. (2013)
Two new endemic species in the Midas cichlid species complex from Nicaraguan crater lakes: ''Amphilophus tolteca'' and ''Amphilophus viridis'' (Perciformes, Cichlidae).
''aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 19 (4): 207-224.'' * '' Amphilophus viridis'' Recknagel, Kusche,

& A. Meyer, 2013 * '' Amphilophus xiloaensis'' Stauffer & McKaye, 2002 * ''

Amphilophus zaliosus ''Amphilophus zaliosus'' is a species of cichlid that inhabits Lake Apoyo in Nicaragua. It is known in the aquarium trade as the arrow cichlid. It is an elongate species in the Midas cichlid species complex. The arrow cichlid shares its habitat ...

'' ( Barlow, 1976) (Arrow cichlid)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q133911 Heroini Fish of Central America Cichlid genera Taxa named by Louis Agassiz