''Cryptoheros'' 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 ...

of small

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. ...

and southeast

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. They reach up to in length.

Taxonomy and species

The genus formerly contained nine species that had been included within the genus ''

Archocentrus ''Archocentrus'' is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America. It currently contains a single species, the flier cichlid (''Archocentrus centrarchus''), which is found in stagnant and slow-moving freshwater habitats such as lakes, ponds, ditch ...

''. The

convict cichlid The convict cichlid (''Amatitlania nigrofasciata'') is a fish species from the family Cichlidae, native to Central America, also known as the zebra cichlid. Convict cichlids are popular aquarium fish and have also been the subject of numerous st ...

has sometimes been placed within the genus ''Cryptoheros'' as well, but is now considered a member of the genus ''

Amatitlania ''Amatitlania'' is a genus of cichlid fishes native to freshwater habitats in Central America from El Salvador and Guatemala to Panama. They are fairly small cichlids, typically reaching up to in standard length depending on exact species, altho ...

''. Several other species such as '' Amatitlania septemfasciata'' and '' Amatitlania sajica'' had also once been included within ''Cryptoheros''.

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.

currently recognizes four species in this genus: * '' Cryptoheros chetumalensis'' Schmitter-Soto, 2007 –

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...

to the Yucatan Peninsula in

* '' Cryptoheros cutteri'' ( Fowler, 1932) – Atlantic side of

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

* '' Cryptoheros panamensis'' (

Meek Meekness is an attribute of human nature and behavior that has been defined as an amalgam of righteousness, inner humility, and patience. Meekness has been contrasted with humility alone insomuch as humility simply refers to an attitude towards o ...

& Hildebrand, 1913) – Atlantic side of Panama * '' Cryptoheros spilurus'' ( Günther, 1862) (Blue-eye cichlid) – Lake Izabal drainage in Guatemala ''C. panamenis'' is placed in the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

Panamius ''Panamius'' is a genus of cichlid fish from moderately flowing rivers and streams in Panama. The only species within ''Panamius'' is ''Panamius panamensis''. ''Panamius'' had been previously considered a subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plur ...

'' within ''Cryptoheros''. However, genetic analysis by Říčan, et al. revealed that ''C. panamensis'' is not closely related to the other species that are included in ''Cryptoheros''. They recommended that ''Panamius'' should be elevated to a full genus, meaning that ''C. panamensis'' becomes ''Panamius panamensis''.

References

Fish of Central America Heroini Cichlid genera {{Cichlidae-stub