Banded cichlid
| Banded cichlid | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Cichlasomatinae |
| Tribe: | Heroini |
| Genus: | Heros |
| Species: | H. severus |
| Binomial name | |
| Heros severus Heckel, 1840 | |
The banded cichlid, Heros severus (previously known as Cichlasoma severum), is a freshwater tropical cichlid native to the Amazon region in South America.
This species is rarely found in the aquarium trade. The species in the aquarium trade is rather the more common Heros efasciatus. Hybrids between the two are possible but unlikely because of different breeding behaviors, with Heros severus being a mouth brooding cichlid.
Common English names used of this species also include the convict fish, the deacon, the sedate cichlid, the severum and the striped cichlid.
Description
The differences between the two Heros species are noticeable. H. efaciatus is a much larger fish at around 8-12" with a much larger girth and H. severus almost half that length and much more lightly built. H. efaciatus is available in a wide range of colours in the aquarium trade, but H. severus is usually a pale cream color with very small red spots, not too different from Heros notatus.
Introduced populations in the US
Heros severus has been found released in the nature at several sites in the United States, and probably established a permanent population in Florida.[1]
References
- ↑ Leo Nico, Pam Fuller, and Matt Neilson. 2014. Heros severus USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. Revision Date: 7/24/2013
- "Cichlasoma severum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 30 January 2006.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Heros severum" in FishBase. 10 2014 version.