Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Cichlasomatinae
Etymology: Laetacara: Latin, laetus = happy + tupí, guaraní acará = a name of a fish (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Heckel.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 4.0 - 7.5; dH range: 1 - 20. Tropical; 20°C - 23°C (Ref. 40602)
South America: Amazon River basin, in the Guaporé River drainage; Paraná River basin, in the Paraguay River drainage in Brazil and Paraguay, middle Paraná River drainage in Argentina.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81048)
Dorsal spines (total): 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 24. Distinguished from all other species of the genus by the following combination of characters:
scales on the longitudinal series 21-22; a dark spot on dorsal fin above trunk bar 5, and usually
above trunk bar 4; head depth 90.2-96.3 % mm HL; cycloid scales on head sides; dorsal-fin rays 9-10; anal-fin rays 8-9; total vertebrae 24; scales on the upper lateral line 14-15; scales on the lower lateral line 6-8; absence of a dark dot at the edge of each scale on the midlateral portion of the flank; and a wide ectopterygoid (Ref. 80972).
Found in rivers (Ref. 12965). Known to leap from the water to land on nearby buoyant vegetation to escape predators, but this may in turn, make them vulnerable to aerial hunters (Ref. 40103). Maximum length 8 cm TL (Ref. 1672).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kullander, S.O., 2003. Cichlidae (Cichlids). p. 605-654. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 36377)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.03020 (0.01591 - 0.05732), b=3.05 (2.88 - 3.22), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
