Cichlidae

The family of the cichlidés belongs to the sub-order of the Labroidei, which counts also families like the Pomacentridés (Poisson-clown) or the Scaridés (Parrot fish).

This family comprises more than 200 kinds and 1.200 Espèce S, divided mainly in Africa, Central America, South America, Texas (a species), Israel, Madagascar, Syria, Iran, Sri Lanka and on the southern parts of the Indies. Many a Espèce S is imported and sometimes high into Europe at ends aquarists, because of their sharp coloring and their sometimes advanced manners.

One counts among his members most famous the scalar , the Oscar or the discus.

The massive disappearance of the 200 species different from cichlidés from the Lake Victoria, species which have diversified for 12.000 years, is an illustration of the threats which weigh on the Biodiversité (see also: the Nightmare of Darwin ).

Characteristics

Physical characteristics

  • Fin S dorsal and anal consisted of thorny in the former part and soft rays in the posterior part.
  • Fin S pelvic equipped with some hard and pointed thorny rays
  • absence of Tooth S on the metal disc but presence of teeth pharyngiennes and teeth jawbones.
  • only one pair of nostrils (against two for the majority of fish)
  • side Line stopped at the majority of the species, into two and sometimes three segments.

Behavior

The advanced behavior of the cichlidés fascine aquarists. Put aside the faculty of training that they show in captivity (in particular at the Oscar, often regarded as the watery equivalent of the dog), one can quote their mode of reproduction: when the eggs do not profit from a oral Incubation, nursery school, paternal or Bi-parental, they are jealously supervised by the parents, who do not hesitate to take care over their offspring a long time after the blossoming, by offering, for certain species, their mouth like protection and means of transport to alevins.

External bonds

  • association '' France Cichlid '': the association of the Cichlidophile S in France;
  • Cichlide38: Cichlidés of the lakes Malawi and Tanganyika;
  • Maltavi Magazine: free Webzine monthly on Cichlidés African;
  • discusnature.societeg.com: Site of reference for and by the amateurs of discus (Fr)

Classification

Some kinds constituting the family cichlidés :

External bonds

Simple: Cichlid

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