Crenicichla
Encyclopedia
Crenicichla is a genus
of the cichlid
s family
(Cichlidae); it contains the pike cichlids. It is the most speciose genus of South America
n cichlids, including approximately 115 species
as of 2009; one or two species are on average described as new each year. Pike cichlids are found in most of tropical and subtropical South America between the Andes
and the Atlantic.
s" for the aquarium
hobby – though their aggressive and voracious habits should let prospective keepers beware. The biggest pike cichlids can grow to more than 24 in (over 60 cm) long. Most Crenicichla measure in the range of 6-10 in (15-25 cm). Like many other predatory fishes, a pike cichlid has a wide mouth and elongated body.
Crenicichla is native to South America
and lives in freshwater
rivers, streams, pools and lakes in and around the Amazon
region. Some of the species are also found north of the Amazon river in Guyana
, Venezuela
, Colombia
, and south of the Amazon river in coastal regions as far as central Argentina
and in all river systems of Uruguay.
A majority of the species lives in warm waters but there are several notable exceptions, e.g. those species living in cooler parts of Argentina and Uruguay
. Pike cichlids are predatory and feed on fish or insects. They usually place themselves where they can stay undetected by the prey, like close to a sunken tree stem or behind a rock. This behaviour as well as the correspondingly adapted shape, which resembles that the unrelated pikes (Esocidae) of the Holarctic
, gives the pike cichlids their common name.
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 the 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...
s family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Cichlidae); it contains the pike cichlids. It is the most speciose genus of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n cichlids, including approximately 115 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
as of 2009; one or two species are on average described as new each year. Pike cichlids are found in most of tropical and subtropical South America between the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and the Atlantic.
Description
The smallest species of Crenicichla are no larger than 3-4 inches (11 cm), and technically qualify as "dwarf cichlidDwarf cichlid
Dwarf cichlid is a term used by fishkeeping hobbyists to describe an arbitrary assemblage of small-sized fish from the family Cichlidae. Although the grouping is widely used in the aquarium industry and hobby, the grouping has no taxonomic or ecological basis and is poorly defined...
s" for the aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
hobby – though their aggressive and voracious habits should let prospective keepers beware. The biggest pike cichlids can grow to more than 24 in (over 60 cm) long. Most Crenicichla measure in the range of 6-10 in (15-25 cm). Like many other predatory fishes, a pike cichlid has a wide mouth and elongated body.
Distribution and ecology
The genusGenus
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...
Crenicichla is native to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and lives in freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
rivers, streams, pools and lakes in and around the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
region. Some of the species are also found north of the Amazon river in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and south of the Amazon river in coastal regions as far as central Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and in all river systems of Uruguay.
A majority of the species lives in warm waters but there are several notable exceptions, e.g. those species living in cooler parts of Argentina and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Pike cichlids are predatory and feed on fish or insects. They usually place themselves where they can stay undetected by the prey, like close to a sunken tree stem or behind a rock. This behaviour as well as the correspondingly adapted shape, which resembles that the unrelated pikes (Esocidae) of the Holarctic
Holarctic
The Holarctic ecozone refers to the habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world as a whole. This region is divided into the Palearctic, consisting of Northern Africa and all of Eurasia, with the exception of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, and the Nearctic,...
, gives the pike cichlids their common name.