Mesonauta

Flag cichlid ( Mesonauta festivus )

Mesonauta ( Gr. " mesos " = middle Lat: . " Nauta " = sailor ) is described from six and at least three undescribed species existing genus of cichlids ( Cichlidae ). The fish live widely used in South America east of the Andes. The range extends from the Orinoco via the Amazon basin to the middle Río Paraguay.

Features

Mesonauta species are 19 to 27 cm long, females remain slightly smaller. Your body is laterally strongly flattened, high backs and little stretched. The back line is rather straight, belly line is curved. The mouth is terminal and pointed. Dorsal and anal fin have many hard jets, the weichstrahlige part is extended. The first ray of the pelvic fin is extended as the scalars. The most striking feature is drawing a dark band that runs from the corner of the mouth over the eyes to the rear hard rays of the dorsal fin and partially continues in the dorsal fin. A cross bands is species-and / or depending on mood more or less visible. On the tail there is a black band.

Way of life

Mesonauta species live in small groups. They feed mainly on plants, but also take animal food. They are open breeders and lay their eggs usually on a plant leaf from. The fry hatch after two to three days, then suspended near the surface of plants, and free swimming after another four to five days. Both parents guard and lead the boys.

Outer systematics

Mesonauta heard within the Neuweltbuntbarsche ( Cichlinae ) for Tribus Heroini and there along with the discus fish ( Symphysodon ), Heros and Uaru to a deep-bodied clade cichlids.

Species

• Mesonauta Acora Castelnau, 1855
• Mesonauta egregius Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991
• Flag cichlid ( Mesonauta festivus ) Heckel, 1840
• Mesonauta guyanae Schindler, 1998
• Mesonauta insignis Heckel, 1840
• Mesonauta mirificus Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991
• Mesonauta sp. "Amazonas"
• Mesonauta sp. " Orinoco"
• Mesonauta sp. " Xingu "