Cichlinae
| Cichlinae | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| Two extremes from the subfamily: The very large Cichla monoculus above and the tiny Teleocichla cinderella below | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Cichlinae |
| Genera | |
The Cichlinae are a subfamily of South American fishes in the cichlid family. They are predatory and relatively elongated in shape. Of the three genera in the subfamily, some species of Cichla reach almost 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, making them by far the largest cichlids of the Americas, and among the largest cichlids anywhere. In contrast, Teleocichla species are among the smallest cichlids of the Americas, and most species only reach around 6 cm (2.4 in) in length.