Home›Species›Taxonomy›CichlidaeTaxaCichlidaeFish FamiliesReference and ClassificationVerifiedCichlidae, whose members are called cichlids, is a large, diverse and widespread family of percomorph fish in the order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been scientifically described, making cichlids one of the largest vertebrate families, surpassed only by Cyprinidae in species diversity, and they inhabit the Neotropics, Africa including Madagascar, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, with some populations introduced elsewhere in the world.FactsCichlidaeConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsPartially AttestedMember Species/Taxa CountPartially Attested1760 2The source says at least 1,760 species have been described and estimates the true number at 2,000 to 3,000Distinguishing AppearancePartially AttestedA wide range of body sizes 2The quoted clause states that body size varies widely and does not describe a single shared appearanceTaxonomic RankWell-attestedFamily 2Geographic DistributionWell-attestedNeotropics, Africa including Madagascar, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, with some species introduced worldwide 2Defining CharacteristicsWell-attestedAll cichlids practice some form of parental care, usually guarding the eggs and fry or mouthbrooding 2ClassificationLiving or ExtinctWell-attestedYes 1CichlidaeFilter Results23 entriesCommon GroupAllCichlids, Anemonefish And Damselfish (23)HabitatAllFreshwater (5)Lake (6)Mangrove Forest (1)River (12)Savanna (1)Conservation StatusAllData Deficient (1)Endangered (1)Least Concern (18)Near Threatened (1)Not Evaluated (1)Vulnerable (1)EcosystemAllAmazon Rainforest (2)Lake Tanganyika (3)Everyday GroupAllCichlids, Anemonefish And Damselfish (23)DietAllCarnivore (6)Herbivore (3)Omnivore (4)Piscivore (1)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (22)Terrestrial and Freshwater (1)Relationship to PeopleAllHunted or Fished (4)Invasive or Introduced Species (3)Kept as Pets (17)Living or ExtinctAllYes (15)Where It LivesAllArgentina (1)Australia (6)Belize (1)Bolivia (1)Brazil (8)Burundi (1)Canada (2)Chile (1)Colombia (7)Costa Rica (2)Cuba (1)El Salvador (3)France (2)Gabon (1)Guatemala (3)Guyana (2)Honduras (3)India (1)Indonesia (4)Iran (1)Israel (1)Italy (1)Japan (1)Madagascar (1)Mauritius (1)Mexico (7)New Zealand (1)Nicaragua (2)North America (1)Panama (2)Paraguay (2)Peru (3)Philippines (4)Portugal (1)Singapore (3)South America (2)Spain (1)Suriname (1)Thailand (1)Turkey (1)United States (9)Uruguay (1)Venezuela (2)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 23Amphilophus labiatusCichlidaeApistogramma hongsloiCichlidaeApistogramma panduroCichlidaeAustraloheros facetusCichlidaeBlue acaraCichlidaeConvict cichlidCichlidaeCrenicichla punctataCichlidaeFiremouth CichlidCichlidaeGoldeneye cichlidCichlidaeGreen terrorCichlidaeIvanacara bimaculataCichlidaeJack Dempsey (fish)CichlidaeLaetacara curvicepsCichlidaeMesonauta festivusCichlidaeNannacara aureocephalusCichlidaeNeolamprologus brichardiCichlidaeParachromis managuensisCichlidaePetenia splendidaCichlidaePterophyllum altumCichlidaeRedbreast tilapiaCichlidaeSpotted tilapiaCichlidaeTeleocichla cinderellaCichlidaeTropheus mooriiCichlidaeConnectionsParent Taxon OfAmphilophus labiatus, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Amphilophus labiatusApistogramma hongsloi, Species Well-attested Source Apistogramma hongsloi (Wikidata)tier 2Apistogramma panduro, Species Well-attested Source Apistogramma panduro (Wikidata)tier 2Australoheros facetus, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Australoheros facetusBlue acara, Species Well-attested Source Blue acara (Wikidata)tier 2Convict cichlid, Species Well-attested Source Convict cichlid (Wikipedia)Crenicichla punctata, Species Well-attested Source GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Crenicichla punctataFiremouth Cichlid, Species Well-attested Source Firemouth Cichlid (Wikidata)tier 2Goldeneye cichlid, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Goldeneye cichlidGreen terror, Species Well-attested Source Green terror (Wikidata)tier 2Ivanacara bimaculata, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Ivanacara bimaculataJack Dempsey (fish), Species Well-attested Source Jack Dempsey (fish) (Wikidata)tier 2Laetacara curviceps, Species Well-attested Source Laetacara curviceps (Wikidata)tier 2Mesonauta festivus, Species Well-attested Source GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Mesonauta festivusNannacara aureocephalus, Species Well-attested Source Nannacara aureocephalus (Wikidata)tier 2Neolamprologus brichardi, Species Well-attested Source Neolamprologus brichardi (Wikidata)tier 2Parachromis managuensis, Species Well-attested Source Parachromis managuensis (Wikidata)tier 2Petenia splendida, Species Well-attested Source Petenia splendida (Wikidata)tier 2Pterophyllum altum, Species Well-attested Source GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Pterophyllum altumRedbreast tilapia, Species Well-attested Source Redbreast tilapia (Wikidata)tier 2Spotted tilapia, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Spotted tilapiaTeleocichla cinderella, Species Well-attested Source Teleocichla cinderella (Wikidata)tier 2Tropheus moorii, Species Well-attested Source Tropheus moorii (Wikidata)tier 2In the Other AtlasesFound InAfricaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Source Animal Diversity Web: CichlidaeGeographic Range: "The great majority of cichlids are found in the"Quote, Geographic Range: "The great majority of cichlids are found in the"The great majority of cichlids are found in the Great Lakes of East Africa (Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika), where between 800 and 2100 species are thought to exist.AsiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Source Animal Diversity Web: CichlidaeGeographic Range: "However, some of the most primitive species, whi"Quote, Geographic Range: "However, some of the most primitive species, whi"However, some of the most primitive species, which are found in Madagascar (17 species) and Asia, also inhabit brackish waters.MadagascarAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Source Animal Diversity Web: CichlidaeGeographic Range: "However, some of the most primitive species, whi"Quote, Geographic Range: "However, some of the most primitive species, whi"However, some of the most primitive species, which are found in Madagascar (17 species) and Asia, also inhabit brackish waters.North AmericaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Source Animal Diversity Web: CichlidaeGeographic Range: "The remaining distribution includes South Americ"Quote, Geographic Range: "The remaining distribution includes South Americ"The remaining distribution includes South America (approximately 290 species), Central America and Mexico (approximately 95 species), North America (one species), and the Middle East - Iran, Syria, Israel and Palestine (five species).South AmericaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Source Animal Diversity Web: CichlidaeGeographic Range: "The remaining distribution includes South Americ"Quote, Geographic Range: "The remaining distribution includes South Americ"The remaining distribution includes South America (approximately 290 species), Central America and Mexico (approximately 95 species), North America (one species), and the Middle East - Iran, Syria, Israel and Palestine (five species).The Indian SubcontinentAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.The Middle EastAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.TropicsAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Sources1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)tier 2Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ3406, descriptionView the Source2. Cichlid, WikipediaLead section, first sentenceare a large, diverse, and widespread family of percomorph fishLead section, species count sentenceAt least 1,760 species have been scientifically describedLead section, range sentenceThey are native to the Neotropics, Africa (including Madagascar), the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent, although some species have been introduced worldwide.Behaviour section, parental care sentenceAll cichlids practice some form of parental care for their eggs and fry, usually in the form of guarding the eggs and fry or mouthbrooding.Description section, size sentenceCichlids span a wide range of body sizesView the SourceWikidata: CichlidaeWikidata Q3406, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the SourceBlue acara (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Blue acara, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceJack Dempsey (fish) (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Jack Dempsey (fish), Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceParachromis managuensis (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Parachromis managuensis, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceGreen terror (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Green terror, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceTeleocichla cinderella (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Teleocichla cinderella, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceNannacara aureocephalus (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Nannacara aureocephalus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceFiremouth Cichlid (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Firemouth Cichlid, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceNeolamprologus brichardi (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Neolamprologus brichardi, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceTropheus moorii (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Tropheus moorii, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceRedbreast tilapia (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Redbreast tilapia, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourcePetenia splendida (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Petenia splendida, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceApistogramma hongsloi (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Apistogramma hongsloi, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceLaetacara curviceps (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Laetacara curviceps, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceApistogramma panduro (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataParent Taxon Of: Apistogramma panduro, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Australoheros facetusParent Taxon Of: Australoheros facetus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Goldeneye cichlidParent Taxon Of: Goldeneye cichlid, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Ivanacara bimaculataParent Taxon Of: Ivanacara bimaculata, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Amphilophus labiatusParent Taxon Of: Amphilophus labiatus, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceWikidata: Spotted tilapiaParent Taxon Of: Spotted tilapia, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the SourceConvict cichlid (Wikipedia)Parent Taxon Of: Convict cichlid, IntroductionQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Convict cichlid, IntroductionThe convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) is a fish species from the family Cichlidae, native to Central America, also known as the zebra cichlid.View the SourceGBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Mesonauta festivusGBIF Backbone TaxonomyParent Taxon Of: Mesonauta festivus, Taxon recordQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Mesonauta festivus, Taxon record"family": "Cichlidae"View the SourceGBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Pterophyllum altumGBIF Backbone TaxonomyParent Taxon Of: Pterophyllum altum, Taxon recordQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Pterophyllum altum, Taxon record"family": "Cichlidae"View the SourceGBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Crenicichla punctataGBIF Backbone TaxonomyParent Taxon Of: Crenicichla punctata, Taxon recordQuote, Parent Taxon Of: Crenicichla punctata, Taxon record"family": "Cichlidae"View the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. 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