Geophagus

''Geophagus'' is a genus of cichlids that mainly live in South America as far south as Argentina and Uruguay, but a single species, ''G. crassilabris'' is from Panama.Mattos, J.L.O., Costa, W.J.E.M. & Santos, A.C.A. (2015): ''Geophagus diamantinensis'', a new species of the ''G. brasiliensis'' species group from Chapada Diamantina, north-eastern Brazil (Cichlidae: Geophagini). ''Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters, 26 (3): 209-220.'' They are found in a wide range of freshwater habitats. They are part of a group popularly known as eartheaters and mostly feed by picking up mouthfuls of sediment to sift out food items such as invertebrates, plant material and detritus. The largest species reach up to in standard length. They are mostly kept in aquariums.

As an invasive species

''Geophagus surinamensis'' was an invasive species in Malaysia, recently found in Putrajaya, the populations are now controlled by giant snakeheads.

Taxonomy

Some cichlids previously included in this genus have been reallocated to ''Biotodoma'', ''Gymnogeophagus'' or ''Satanoperca''. Even with these as separate genera, ''Geophagus'' is currently polyphyletic and in need of further taxonomic revision. There are three main groups:

* ''Geophagus sensu stricto'' are mostly relatively peaceful, often have long fin extensions and are native to the Amazon, Orinoco and Parnaíba basins, as well as rivers of the Guianas. This group can be divided into two subgroups: The first is the ''G. surinamensis'' complex, which includes most species (fish in the aquarium trade often are identified as ''G. surinamensis'' itself, but they are typically other members of this complex.) The second subgroup contains ''G. argyrostictus'', ''G. gottwaldi'', ''G. grammepareius'', ''G. harreri'' and ''G. taeniopareius'', which are somewhat less peaceful and can be separated from the ''G. surinamensis'' complex by their dark stripe below the eye (however, this feature is shared with the next group).
* ''G. brasiliensis'' complex (including ''G. diamantinensis'', ''G. iporangensis'', ''G. itapicuruensis'', ''G. multiocellus'', ''G. obscurus'', ''G. rufomarginatus'' and ''G. santosi'') are more robust and aggressive species found in river basins of eastern and southeastern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina.
* ''G. steindachneri'' complex (including ''G. crassilabris'' and ''G. pellegrini'' and undescribed species entering the aquarium trade from Colombia) found west of the Andes in northern and western Colombia, northwestern Venezuela and Panama where adult males develop a distinct, bulbous red forehead.

Species

There are currently 32 recognized species in this genus.

* ''Geophagus abalios'' López-Fernández & Taphorn, 2004
* ''Geophagus altifrons'' Heckel, 1840
* '' Geophagus argyrostictus'' S. O. Kullander, 1991
* '' Geophagus brachybranchus'' S. O. Kullander & Nijssen, 1989
* ''Geophagus brasiliensis'' ( Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (Pearl cichlid)
* '' Geophagus brokopondo'' S. O. Kullander & Nijssen, 1989
* '' Geophagus camopiensis'' Pellegrin, 1903 (Oyapock eartheater)
* '' Geophagus crassilabris'' Steindachner, 1876 (Panamanian eartheater)
* '' Geophagus crocatus'' Hauser & López-Fernández, 2013
* '' Geophagus diamantinensis'' Mattos, W. J. E. M. Costa & A. C. A. Santos, 2015
* '' Geophagus dicrozoster'' López-Fernández & Taphorn, 2004
* ''Geophagus gottwaldi'' I. Schindler & Staeck, 2006
* '' Geophagus grammepareius'' S. O. Kullander & Taphorn, 1992
* ''Geophagus harreri'' J. P. Gosse, 1976 (Maroni eartheater)
* '' Geophagus iporangensis'' Haseman, 1911
* '' Geophagus itapicuruensis'' Haseman, 1911
* '' Geophagus megasema'' Heckel, 1840
* '' Geophagus mirabilis'' Deprá, S. O. Kullander, Pavanelli & da Graça, 2014
* '' Geophagus multiocellus'' Mattos & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018
* '' Geophagus neambi'' P. H. L. Lucinda, C. A. S. de Lucena & Assis, 2010
* '' Geophagus obscurus'' ( Castelnau, 1855)
* '' Geophagus parnaibae'' Staeck & I. Schindler, 2006
* '' Geophagus pellegrini'' Regan, 1912 (Yellowhump eartheater)
* '' Geophagus proximus'' ( Castelnau, 1855)
* ''Geophagus pyrocephalus'' Chuctaya et al., 2022
* '' Geophagus rufomarginatus'' Mattos & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018
* '' Geophagus santosi'' Mattos & W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018
* ''Geophagus steindachneri'' C. H. Eigenmann & Hildebrand, 1922 (Redhump eartheater)
* '' Geophagus surinamensis'' (Bloch, 1791) (Red-striped eartheater)
* '' Geophagus sveni'' P. H. F. Lucinda, C. A. S. de Lucena & Assis, 2010
* '' Geophagus taeniopareius'' S. O. Kullander & Royero-L., 1992
* '' Geophagus winemilleri'' López-Fernández & Taphorn, 2004

References

{{Authority control

Cichlid genera
Taxa named by Johann Jakob Heckel