Laetacara is a small genus of cichlids native to freshwater habitats in tropical and subtropical South America, ranging from the upper Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Paraná River basin Argentina.[1][2] The genus is also collectively known as the smiling acaras.[3][4] Like all cichlids, Laetacara species have well-developed brood care.
Laetacara | |
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Laetacara araguaiae | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cichliformes |
Family: | Cichlidae |
Tribe: | Cichlasomatini |
Genus: | Laetacara S. O. Kullander, 1986 |
Type species | |
Acara flavilabris Cope, 1870
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All members of the genus are monogamous, open spawning cichlids.[3] They are popular in the fishkeeping hobby and are frequently kept in aquariums.[2] Laetacara are relatively small cichlids, growing to about 4–12 cm (1.6–4.7 in) in length depending on exact species,[5] and are part of the group known to aquarists as dwarf cichlids.[3]
Species
editThere are currently seven recognized species in this genus:[5]
- Laetacara araguaiae Ottoni & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2009
- Laetacara curviceps (C. G. E. Ahl, 1923) (Flag acara)
- Laetacara dorsigera (Heckel, 1840) (Redbreast acara)
- Laetacara flamannellus Ottoni et al., 2012
- Laetacara flavilabris (Cope, 1870)
- Laetacara fulvipinnis Staeck & I. Schindler, 2007
- Laetacara thayeri (Steindachner, 1875)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ottoni, F.P. (2018). "Update of diagnoses, information on distribution, species, and key for identification of Laetacara species (Teleostei, Cichlidae, Cichlasomatini)" (PDF). Vertebrate Zoology. 68 (1): 47–63. doi:10.3897/vz.68.e32224.
- ^ a b Linke H, Staeck L (1994) American cichlids I: Dwarf Cichlids. A handbook for their identification, care and breeding. Tetra Press. Germany. ISBN 1-56465-168-1
- ^ a b c Loiselle, Paul V. (1995). The Cichlid Aquarium. Germany: Tetra Press. ISBN 1-56465-146-0.
- ^ Kullander, S.O. (1998). "A phylogeny and classification of the South American Cichlidae (Teleostei: Perciformes)". In L.R. Malabarba; R.E. Reis; R.P. Vari; Z.M. Lucena; C.A.S. Lucena (eds.). Phylogeny and classification of neotropical fishes. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. pp. 461–498. ISBN 978-85-7430-035-1.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Laetacara". FishBase. July 2019 version.