Mesonauta
Encyclopedia
Mesonauta is a small genus
of six species of fish
, endemic to soft
, acidic freshwater habitat
s in South America
. Mesonauta is part of the family
Cichlidae and is included in subfamily Cichlasomatinae. Some species, particularly Mesonauta festivus
, are popular in the fishkeeping
hobby and are frequently kept in aquarium
s.
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 six species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, endemic to soft
Hard water
Hard water is water that has high mineral content . Hard water has high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling...
, acidic freshwater habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s in 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...
. Mesonauta is part of the 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 and is included in subfamily Cichlasomatinae. Some species, particularly Mesonauta festivus
Mesonauta festivus
Mesonauta festivus is a species of cichlid. It is a fish which lives in fresh water in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. It is 12–15 cm long.In 1991 Mesonauta festivus was recategorised...
, are popular in the fishkeeping
Fishkeeping
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a fishkeeping industry, as a branch of agriculture.-Types of fishkeeping systems:...
hobby and are frequently kept in 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...
s.
Species
- Mesonauta acora CastelnauFrançois Louis de la Porte, comte de CastelnauFrançois Louis Nompar de Caumont LaPorte, comte de Castelnau was a French naturalist, known also as François Laporte or Francis de Castelnau.-Life:Born in London, he studied natural history in Paris...
, 1855 - Mesonauta egregius Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991
- Mesonauta festivusMesonauta festivusMesonauta festivus is a species of cichlid. It is a fish which lives in fresh water in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. It is 12–15 cm long.In 1991 Mesonauta festivus was recategorised...
HeckelJohann Jakob HeckelJohann Jakob Heckel was an Austrian taxidermist, zoologist, and ichthyologist from Mannheim.Though not a formally trained zoologist he worked his way up through the ranks to eventually become the director of the Fish Collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna...
, 1840 - Mesonauta guyanae Schindler, 1998
- Mesonauta insignis HeckelJohann Jakob HeckelJohann Jakob Heckel was an Austrian taxidermist, zoologist, and ichthyologist from Mannheim.Though not a formally trained zoologist he worked his way up through the ranks to eventually become the director of the Fish Collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna...
, 1840 - Mesonauta mirificus Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991