''Cichlasoma'' 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 ...

freshwater fish Freshwater fish are those that spend some or all of their lives in fresh water, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 1.05%. These environments differ from marine conditions in many ways, especially the difference in levels of s ...

in the

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 ...

family. The genus was previously very large (a

wastebasket taxon Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined ...

), including cichlids from North America, including Central America, and South America. Reclassification and subsequent splitting of the genus by

Sven O. Kullander Sven Oscar Kullander (born 30 November 1952 in Sollefteå) is a Swedish biologist specialised in ichthyology. He primarily researches cichlids – notably the genus ''Apistogramma'' and the ''Cichlasoma''-complex – and other tropical fresh ...

and other

ichthyologists Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 33,400 species of fish had been described as of October ...

has resulted in removing many of the former

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

from ''Cichlasoma'' to genera such as ''

Amphilophus ''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 ...

'', '' Archocentrus'', ''

Herichthys ''Herichthys'' is a small genus of cichlid fishes. Most are Endemism, endemic to Mexico, but ''Texas cichlid, H. cyanoguttatus'' is also found in southern Texas (United States), and has been Introduced species, introduced to central Texas and Flo ...

'', '' Heros'', ''

Nandopsis ''Nandopsis'' is a small genus of cichlid fishes found in lakes, streams and rivers in Cuba and Hispaniola. ''Nandopsis'' are the only cichlids native to the Antilles. Species The genus currently contains three species. An additional species, ...

'', ''

Parachromis ''Parachromis'' is a genus of cichlids native to Central America. Some species occur in Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua. All species are predatory and relatively large for cichlids. Species There are currently five recognized species in this gen ...

'', '' Thorichthys'', ''

Vieja ''Vieja'' is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America and Mexico. The majority of the species are freshwater fish found in stagnant or slow-moving waters of southern Mexico to El Salvador, but ''V. maculicauda'', which also occurs in brack ...

'' and others in the tribe

Heroini Heroini is a fish tribe from the Cichlasomatinae subfamily in the cichlid family. All cichlids native to the Greater Antilles, United States (southern Texas), Mexico and northern Central America are members of this tribe. It also includes most ...

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 sixteen recognized species in this genus, but three very different Middle American

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

("''C.''"'' geddesi'' 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 ''

Herichthys deppii ''Herichthys deppii'', also known as the Nautla cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to the Nautla and Misantla rivers of Mexico. It reaches a maximum size of TL. The specific name honours the German naturalist, explorer and painter ...

'', and "''C.''"'' istlanum'' and "''C.''"'' trimaculatum'' placed in ''

'') are not included by

Catalog of Fishes Catalog of Fishes is a comprehensive on-line database and reference work on the scientific names of fish species and genera. It is global in its scope and is hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. It has been compiled and is continuously up ...

, effectively limiting ''Cichlasoma'' to a group of rather similar, medium-small cichlids of South America. * ''

Cichlasoma amazonarum ''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. O. Kullander, 1983 * ''

Cichlasoma araguaiense ''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. O. Kullander, 1983 * ''

Cichlasoma bimaculatum ''Cichlasoma bimaculatum'' is an omnivorous, freshwater, tropical fish commonly referred to as the black acara or two-spot cichlid. It is most frequently classified in the Cichlidae ( Cichlid) family and subfamily of Cichlasomatinae. It is foun ...

'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

) (Black acara) * ''

Cichlasoma boliviense ''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. O. Kullander, 1983 * ''

Cichlasoma dimerus ''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 ...

'' ( Heckel, 1840) * '' Cichlasoma geddesi'' (

Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...

, 1905) * ''

Cichlasoma istlanum ''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 ...

'' ( D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1899) * '' Cichlasoma orientale'' S. O. Kullander, 1983 * '' Cichlasoma orinocense'' S. O. Kullander, 1983 * '' Cichlasoma paranaense'' S. O. Kullander, 1983 * '' Cichlasoma portalegrense'' ( R. F. Hensel, 1870) * '' Cichlasoma pusillum'' S. O. Kullander, 1983 * ''

Cichlasoma santifranciscense ''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 ...

'' S. O. Kullander, 1983 * '' Cichlasoma taenia'' ( E. T. Bennett, 1831) (Brown coscarob) * ''

Cichlasoma trimaculatum The three spot cichlid (''Cichlasoma trimaculatum''), also known as the trimac or red-eyed cichlid, is a species of cichlid from Mexico and Central America, from the subfamily Cichlasomatinae. It is a rarely found as an aquarium fish. Although st ...

'' ( Günther, 1867) (Three spot cichlid) * '' Cichlasoma zarskei'' Ottoni, 2011

References

Cichlasomatini Cichlid fish of Central America Cichlid fish of North America Freshwater fish of Mexico Cichlid genera Taxa named by William John Swainson {{Cichlidae-stub