Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Geophaginae
Etymology: Geophagus: Greek, gea = the earth + Greek, phagein = to eat (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Bloch.
Issue
Redescription in Kullander & Nijssen (1986: 31), with bibliography, diagnosis, description, distribution, and illustrations.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 22°C - 25°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: Saramacca and Suriname Rivers in Suriname; Marowijne River in Suriname and French Guiana.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36377)
Though not so abundant, it is often caught in the quiet zones of cascades with G. harreri (Ref. 35237). Lives in mud and sand-bottomed canals. Maximum length 30 cm TL (Ref. 5723). Omnivorous, with a tendency towards herbivory, searches for food by digging into the substrate with its protractile mouth. Can emit sounds through its pharyngeal teeth though it is not known whether it is a form of communication or not. Spawning takes place on a flat stone or in a hole dug in the sand. Parents generally take the eggs into their mouths until hatching occurs three days later. At night or when faced with danger, the alevins seeks shelter in the mother's mouth. Parents take care of their siblings for several weeks (Ref. 35237).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Parents form pairs. Larvophile mouthbrooder.
Kullander, S.O. and H. Nijssen, 1989. The cichlids of Surinam: Teleostei, Labroidei. E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands. 256 p. (Ref. 26372)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02512 (0.01384 - 0.04557), b=3.04 (2.89 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.3 ±0.1 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec=250).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
