Chuco (fish) explained

Chuco is a genus of medium-sized cichlid fishes from moderately to fast-flowing rivers and streams on the Atlantic slope of southern Mexico and northern Central America.^[1]

Taxonomy and species

Historically, Chuco was included in Cichlasoma. Subsequently, the species were moved to Theraps,^[2] but in 2016 it was shown that they are not close relatives of the Theraps type species, T. irregularis, resulting in them being moved to Chuco (another species was moved to Wajpamheros).^[1]

There are currently three recognized species in the genus Chuco:

• Chuco godmanni – southern checkmark cichlid
• Chuco intermedium – northern checkmark cichlid
• Chuco microphthalmus

Notes and References

1. Diversity and evolution of the Middle American cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Cichlidae) with revised classification. Říčan, O.. Piálek, L.. Dragová, K.. Novák, J.. amp. Vertebrate Zoology. 1–102. 66. 1. 2016. 10.3897/vz.66.e31534 . free .
2. McMahan, C.D. . Matamoros, W.A. . Piller, K.R. . Chakrabarty, P. . 2015 . Taxonomy and systematics of the herichthyins (Cichlidae: Tribe Heroini), with the description of eight new Middle American Genera . Zootaxa . 3999 . 2 . 211–234 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3999.2.3 . 26623572.