Cichlidae
Sign in to saveCichlids () are a large, diverse, and widespread family of percomorph fish in the family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families, with only the Cyprinidae being more speciose. New species are discovered annually, and many species remain undescribed. The actual number of species is therefore unknown, with estimates varying between 2,000 and 3,000. They are native to the Neotropics, Africa (including Madagascar), the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, although some species have been int
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Cichlids are a large family of fish with at least 1,760 known species found across Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia, making them one of the biggest vertebrate families on Earth. They matter because their remarkable diversity—with new species still being discovered regularly—makes them important for understanding fish evolution and ecology, and they are also popular in the aquarium hobby and fisheries.
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Article
42 sectionsContents
- History
- Anatomy and appearance
- Taxonomy
- Internal taxonomy
- External taxonomy
- Evolution
- Fossil record
- Distribution and habitat
- Ecology
- Feeding
- Behavior
- Aggression
- Mating
- Self-fertilization
- Brood care
- Pit spawning in cichlids
- Mouth brooding vs. pit spawning
- Pit spawning process
- Color changes
- Pit sizes
- Evolution
- Associated behaviors
- Brood care
- Open brooding
- Cave brooding
- Ovophile mouthbrooding
- Larvophile mouthbrooding
- Speciation
- Population status
- Lake Victoria
- Food and game fish
- Tilapia
- Game fish
- Aquarium fish
- Hybrids and selective breeding
- Aquarium hybrids
- Genera
- Gallery
- Footnotes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Cichlids () are a large, diverse, and widespread family of percomorph fish in the family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families, with only the Cyprinidae being more speciose. New species are discovered annually, and many species remain undescribed. The actual number of species is therefore unknown, with estimates varying between 2,000 and 3,000. They are native to the Neotropics, Africa (including Madagascar), the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, although some species have been introduced worldwide.
Many cichlids, particularly tilapia, are important food fishes, while others, such as the Cichla species, are valued game fish. The family also includes many popular freshwater aquarium fish kept by hobbyists, including the angelfish, oscars, and discus. Cichlids have the largest number of endangered species among vertebrate families, most in the haplochromine group. Cichlids are well known for their rapid evolution into morphologically diverse species flocks within the African Great Lakes. Some of these key morphological differences include jaw and teeth structure, fin, head, and body shape, and most importantly, their coloration. Their diversity in the African Great Lakes is important for the study of speciation in evolution. Many cichlids introduced into waters outside of their natural range have become nuisances.