Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Gunther, 1867)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 782

Amatitlania nigrofasciata

Common name. Convict cichlid.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cichlidae in West Asia by: ○ 8–10 anal spines / ● 8–9 black bars on grey flank (albinotic individuals occur in non-native populations). Size up to 150 mm SL.

Distribution. Türkiye:a hot spring in upper Sakarya drainage. Iran: Golabi spring near Darab in Fars prov., and Soleymaniyeh spring in Namak Lake basin. Was established in Israel but seems to have disappeared. Native to Central America: Pacific slope, from Río Sucio, El Salvador to Río Suchiate, Guatemala; Atlantic slope, from Río Patuca, Honduras to Río Jutiapa, Guatemala. Introduced in Austria, Hungary, Italy, Australia, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, the USA, Hawaii and likely elsewhere.

Habitat. A wide range of streams and springs.

Biology. Forms pairs; both sexes territorial. Females lay eggs on exposed hard surfaces such as stones or wood. Larvae and young guarded by parents. Male guard outer and female inner circle around young. Incubation of eggs, larvae, and free-swimming juveniles in the wild lasts 4–6 weeks and occurs only once a season for most females. An opportunistic feeder, feeding on detritus and plant material and preying on small aquatic animals. Frequently used in behavioural studies. Conservation status. Non-native; released from aquaria.

Further reading. Wisenden 1995 (reproduction); Schmitter-Soto 2007 (native distribution); Esmaeili et al. 2013b ( Iran); Mousavi-Sabet & Eagderi 2016a (record in Lake Namak).