''Satanoperca'' is a small

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 ...

s from

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, where they are known from the

Orinoco The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...

Essequibo Essequibo is the largest traditional region of Guyana but not an administrative region of Guyana today. It may also refer to: * Essequibo River, the largest river in Guyana * Essequibo (colony), a former Dutch colony in what is now Guyana; * Esseq ...

, Nickerie,

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...

and Paraná–

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species have also been recorded from rapids. They are part of a group popularly known as

eartheater Geophagini is a Tribe (biology), tribe of cichlids from the subfamily Cichlinae, the American cichlids. It is the sister taxon to the clade which includes the Cichlasomatini and Heroini. Fishes in the Geophagini are distributed from Panama south ...

s and feed by picking up mouthfuls of sand to sift out food items such as invertebrates, plant material and

detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commun ...

(the only exception is mid-water feeding ''S. acuticeps''). They often feed in small groups and one individual may act as a watchman, which will charge an approaching

piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, ...

with its mouth open and fins erected. The ''Satanoperca'' in the group take turn acting as watchman. ''Satanoperca'' are up to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

, but the smallest species reach less than that size. The species fall into two or three main groups: The ''S. daemon'' group (including ''S. lilith'') are relatively large, and have a distinct dark spot on the tail and one or two dark spots on the side of the body. ''S. acuticeps'' is rather similar and variably placed in its own group or included in the ''S. daemon'' group, but it has three dark spots on the body and a differently shaped mouth. The remaining species are part of the ''S. jurupari'' group, which may have a small tail-spot and may have a poorly defined pattern of dark bands or blotches on the body, but always lack distinct dark spots on the body.

Species

There are currently 9 recognized species in this genus. Additionally, undescribed species are known. * '' Satanoperca acuticeps'' ( Heckel, 1840) (Sharphead eartheater) * ''

Satanoperca curupira ''Satanoperca'' is a small genus of cichlids from South America, where they are known from the Orinoco, Essequibo, Nickerie, Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species ha ...

'' Ota et al., 2018 * '' Satanoperca daemon'' ( Heckel, 1840) (Threespot eartheater) * ''

Satanoperca jurupari ''Satanoperca jurupari'', the demon eartheater, is a species of cichlid endemic to the Amazon basin in South America. It can reach a length of SL. Feeding behavior and diet Like some other Geophagini cichlids, the common name 'eartheater' is ...

'' ( Heckel, 1840) (Demon eartheater) * '' Satanoperca leucosticta'' ( J. P. Müller &

Troschel Franz Hermann Troschel (10 October 1810 – 6 November 1882) was a German zoologist born in Spandau. He studied mathematics and natural history at the University of Berlin, where he was awarded his doctorate in 1834.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; ...

, 1848) * ''

Satanoperca lilith ''Satanoperca'' is a small genus of cichlids from South America, where they are known from the Orinoco, Essequibo, Nickerie, Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species ha ...

'' S. O. Kullander & E. J. G. Ferreira, 1988 * '' Satanoperca mapiritensis'' ( Fernández-Yépez, 1950) * ''

Satanoperca pappaterra ''Satanoperca'' is a small genus of cichlids from South America, where they are known from the Orinoco, Essequibo, Nickerie, Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species ha ...

'' ( Heckel, 1840) (Pantanal eartheater) * ''

Satanoperca rhynchitis ''Satanoperca'' is a small genus of cichlids from South America, where they are known from the Orinoco, Essequibo, Nickerie, Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species ha ...

'' S. O. Kullander, 2012 * ''

Satanoperca setepele ''Satanoperca'' is a small genus of cichlids from South America, where they are known from the Orinoco, Essequibo, Nickerie, Amazon and Paraná–Paraguay river basins. They are mainly found in areas with slow-moving waters, but some species ha ...

'' Ota, Deprá, Kullander, Graça & Pavanelli, 2022

References

Geophagini Fish of South America Taxa named by Albert Günther Cichlid genera {{Cichlidae-stub