Guianacara Explained

Guianacara is a small genus of cichlid fish endemic to freshwater habitats in the Guiana Shield in South America.^{[1] [2]} They mostly live in moderately flowing clear- or blackwater rivers and streams, but also occur in lagoons that are seasonally flooded.^{[2] [3] [4]} They are typically found over bottoms consisting of sandy patches intermixed with large rocks.^{[2] [4]}

The different species all have a dark line through the eye (its strength varies), but the adults can be separated by the appearance of the dark bar or spot on the mid-body.^[3] They reach up to 12cm (05inches) in standard length. They mainly feed on small invertebrates.^[2]

Species

The seven recognized species in this genus are:

• Guianacara cuyunii López-Fernández, Taphorn & Kullander, 2006
• Guianacara dacrya Arbour & López-Fernández, 2011
• Guianacara geayi (Pellegrin, 1902)
• Guianacara oelemariensis Kullander & Nijssen, 1989
• Guianacara owroewefi Kullander & Nijssen, 1989
• Guianacara sphenozona Kullander & Nijssen, 1989
• Guianacara stergiosi López-Fernández, Taphorn & Kullander, 2006

Notes and References

1. Web site: Catalog of Fishes. Eschmeyer W.. California Academy of Sciences. 2009-01-06. 2008-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20080106163337/http://www.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatsearch.html. dead.
2. Book: van der Sleen, P. . J.S. Albert . 2017 . Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas . Princeton University Press . 375 . 978-0691170749 .
3. López-Fernández, H. . D.C. Taphorn . S.O. Kullander . Two New Species of Guianacara from the Guiana Shield of Eastern Venezuela (Perciformes: Cichlidae) . 2006 . Copeia . 2006 . 3 . 384–395 . 10.1643/0045-8511(2006)2006[384:tnsogf]2.0.co;2. 85968817 .
4. Arbour, J.A. . H. López-Fernández . Guianacara dacrya, a new species from the rio Branco and Essequibo River drainages of the Guiana Shield (Perciformes: Cichlidae) . 2011 . Neotrop. Ichthyol. . 9 . 1 . 10.1590/S1679-62252011000100006 . 87–96. free .