Description

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Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 8 - 10; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7; Vertebrae: 27 - 28. This species is distinguished by the following characters: two (vs. one) distal rows of interradial scales on anal fin; arms in the first epibranchial bone are parallel (vs. divergent); posterior end of dentigerous arm of dentary rounded or squarish (vs. triple-spined or bluntly pointed); peritoneal coloration is uniformly dark (vs. not uniformly dark); rostrad directed pronounced convexity on the ventral process of the articular absent (vs. present); body less deep than as compared with its congeners kanna and siquia; 4th bar not Y-shaped (Ref. 74403).

Common Names

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Zebracichlide , Danish , Denmark

Convict , English , Philippines

Convict cichlid , English , Australia

Convict cichlid , English , Canada

Convict cichlid , English , Mexico

Convict cichlid , English , Reunion I.

Convict cichlid , English , USA

Convict cichlid , English , Costa Rica

Convict cichlid , English , Global

White convict cichlid , English , USA

Zebra chanchito , English , USA

Zebra cichlid , English , USA

Zebra cichlid , English , Australia

Cichlidé à bande , French , Canada

Blaukehlchen , German , Germany

Grünflossenbuntbarsch , German , Germany

Zebrabuntbarsch , German , Germany

九間始麗魚 , Mandarin Chinese , China

九間麗體魚 , Mandarin Chinese , China

九间丽体鱼 , Mandarin Chinese , China

九间始丽鱼 , Mandarin Chinese , China

Pielegnica zebra , Polish , Poland

Achiba , Spanish , El Salvador

Burra , Spanish , Costa Rica

Burro , Spanish , El Salvador

Carate , Spanish , Nicaragua

Carate , Spanish , Costa Rica

Chamarra , Spanish , El Salvador

Chincoyo , Spanish , El Salvador

Conga , Spanish , El Salvador

Congo , Spanish , Honduras

Congo , Spanish , Costa Rica

Mojarra , Spanish , El Salvador

Mojarra convicto , Spanish , Mexico

Punto naranja , Spanish , Costa Rica

Punto rojo , Spanish , Nicaragua

Serica , Spanish , Guatemala

Sebracichlid , Swedish , Sweden

Taxonomic Hierarchy

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Amatitlania

Species: Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Günther, 1867)

Climate Zone

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Tropical

Location

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Central America: Pacific slope, from Río Sucio, El Salvador to Río Suchiate, Guatemala; Atlantic slope, from Río Patuca, Honduras to Río Jutiapa, Guatemala. Not in slope to Panama (Am. coatepeque), Costa Rica or even Nicaragua (Am. siquia), as formerly considered. Introduced elsewhere.

Biology

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Adults inhabit flowing water from small creeks and streams to the shallows of large and fast flowing rivers (Ref. 7335). Prefer rocky habitats and finds sanctuary in the various cracks and crevices provided by this type of environment (Ref. 7335), or among roots and debris (Ref. 44091). They occur in warm pools of springs and their effluents (Ref. 7020). Feed on worms, crustaceans, insects, fish and plant matter (Refs. 7020; 44091). Also used in behavioral studies (Ref. 4537). Approximately 100-150 eggs are deposited and are vigorously guarded and cared for by both male and female (Ref. 44091). A popular aquarium fish which requires high temperature to maintain itself in an environment, e.g. artificially heated waters of power stations. Aquarium keeping: in pairs; minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539).

Habitat

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benthopelagic