Archocentrus is a small genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of cichlid

Cichlid

Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...

 fishes from Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

. The genus currently contains 3 species. It formerly included 7 of the species now included in the genus Cryptoheros

Cryptoheros

Cryptoheros is a small genus of cichlid fishes from Central America and southeast Mexico. The genus currently contains 9 species. It includes species formerly included within the genus Archocentrus. The convict cichlid has sometimes been placed within the genus Cryptoheros as well, but is now...

, as well as the convict cichlid

Convict cichlid

The Convict cichlid is a fish species from the family Cichlidae, native to Central America, also known as the zebra cichlid...

, now included in the genus Amatitlania

Amatitlania

Amatitlania is a small genus of cichlid fishes from Central America. The genus currently contains four species. The genus is closely related to Archocentrus and Cryptoheros, and contains the convict cichlids that were previously placed in those genera. The genus was erected by Juan Schmitter-Soto...

. The Rainbow Cichlid

Rainbow cichlid

The rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater Central American fish of the cichlid family. It was formerly the sole species of the genus Herotilapia, but has since been reclassified to the species Archocentrus, based on a study by Juan Schmitter-Soto...

, Archocentrus multispinosus, was formerly included in the genus Herotilapia. A 2008 study led by Oldrich Rican suggested that the Rainbow Cichlid is actually more closely related to the Jack Dempsey

Jack Dempsey (fish)

The Jack Dempsey is a cichlid fish that is widely distributed across North and Central America...

 (genus Rocio

Rocio

Rocio is a small genus of cichlid fishes from Mexico and northern Central America. The genus currently contains 3 species. It was established in 2007 as the genus for the Jack Dempsey and its close relatives.-Species:...

) and the cichlids of the genus Astatheros than to the other Archocentrus cichlids, and thus should be moved back to the genus Herotilapia.

Species

• Archocentrus centrarchus Gill, 1877
• Rainbow cichlid
  Rainbow cichlid
  The rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater Central American fish of the cichlid family. It was formerly the sole species of the genus Herotilapia, but has since been reclassified to the species Archocentrus, based on a study by Juan Schmitter-Soto...
  
  , Archocentrus multispinosus
  Rainbow cichlid
  The rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater Central American fish of the cichlid family. It was formerly the sole species of the genus Herotilapia, but has since been reclassified to the species Archocentrus, based on a study by Juan Schmitter-Soto...
  
  , Günther
  Albert C. L. G. Günther
  Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
  
  , 1867
• Archocentrus spinosissimus Vaillant & Pellegrin, 1902