Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 24, 2026

Cincelichthys

Cincelichthys is a genus of high-bodied cichlids found in southern Mexico to Guatemala, where they inhabit lakes, rivers and other freshwater habitats. They are large cichlids, up to 35–42.5 cm (14–17 in) long depending on species, with females reaching smaller sizes than males.

Last revised
Jul 24, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
341 w
Citations
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Cincelichthys
Cincelichthys bocourti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Cichlinae
Tribe: Heroini
Genus: Cincelichthys
McMahan & K. R. Piller, 20151
Type species
Neetroplus bocourti
Vaillant & Pellegrin, 19022
Synonyms3

Kihnichthys

Cincelichthys is a genus of high-bodied cichlids found in southern Mexico to Guatemala, where they inhabit lakes, rivers (typically sluggish) and other freshwater habitats.1456 They are large cichlids, up to 35–42.5 cm (14–17 in) long depending on species, with females reaching smaller sizes than males.78

They feed on vegetable matter,9 like fruits, parts of aquatic and land plants, and algae.78 They share their chisel-like teeth with Kihnichthys and whether they should be merged into a single genus is not yet fully resolved.4 A review in 2020 recommended that Kihnichthys should be moved into Cincelichthys.3

Species

There are currently 2 recognized species in this genus:19

References

References

  1. McMahan, C.D.; Matamoros, W.A.; Piller, K.R. & Chakrabarty, P. (2015). "Taxonomy and systematics of the herichthyins (Cichlidae: Tribe Heroini), with the description of eight new Middle American Genera" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3999 (2): 211–234. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3999.2.3. PMID 26623572. S2CID 34699955.
  2. Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Cincelichthys". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  3. Artigas Azas, Juan Miguel (2021). "Kihnichthys, a junior synonym of Cincelichthys". Cichlid News Magazine. 29 (4 ed.): 10–12.
  4. Říčan, O.; Piálek, L.; Dragová, K. & Novák, J. (2016). "Diversity and evolution of the Middle American cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Cichlidae) with revised classification". Vertebrate Zoology. 66 (1): 1–102. doi:10.3897/vz.66.e31534.
  5. Quintana, Y.; Lyons, T.J. (2020). "Cincelichthys bocourti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T150123901A152306186. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T150123901A152306186.en. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  6. Lyons, T.J. (2019). "Cincelichthys pearsei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T192885A2179640. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T192885A2179640.en. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  7. Artigas Azas, Juan Miguel (15 July 2015). "Cincelichthys bocourti (Vaillant & Pellegrin, 1902)". CichlidRoom. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  8. "Herichthys pearsei". SeriouslyFish. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  9. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Cincelichthys". FishBase. June 2018 version.