Description

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 5 - 7; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Differs from other species by possessing a slender (slightly broader than long), well-spaced, and indented lower pharyngeal plate; 2 rows of 8-9 medium-sized, lightly pigmented molars flank the midline; and 11-13 non-enlarged conic teeth along the posterior margin. Distinguished from all congeners by a combination of the following characters: head short (mean 35%, SD 3%); rostral tip to the pectoral fin origin distance (mean 33%, SD 1%); caudal peduncle short (mean 15%, SD 1%) and deep (mean 16%, SD 1%); long anal fin (origin to hypural base distance; mean 40%, SD 1%); wide preorbit (mean 30%, SD 3%); eye small (mean 21%, SD 2%); predorsal contour deep and nonacute, which is not concave before the eye; and peritoneum is uniformly very dark (Ref. 94458).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Herichthys

Species: Herichthys molango De la Maza-Benignos & Lozano-Vilano, 2013

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Inhabits Laguna Azteca, characterized by a depth of 16 m, transparency of 1-3 m, surface temperatures of 16-27°C, and surface pH of 7-8. Does not occur sympatrically with other native cichlids. Feeds mainly on filamentous algae. Threatened by the introduction of tilapia and centrachids (Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis spp.) (Ref. 94458).

Habitat

benthopelagic