Vieja
Genus of fishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vieja is a genus of cichlid fish from Central America and Mexico. The majority of the species are freshwater fish found in stagnant or slow-moving waters of southern Mexico to El Salvador, but V. maculicauda, which also occurs in brackish waters, ranges south to Panama.[1] They are high-bodied cichlids that reach lengths of up to 17–35 cm (7–14 in) depending on the exact species.[2] Vieja feed mostly on vegetable matter, but may also take small invertebrates.[2]
| Vieja | |
|---|---|
| |
| Vieja maculicauda | |
 | |
| Vieja melanurus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Tribe: | Heroini |
| Genus: | Vieja Fernández-Yépez, 1969 |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy and species
Historically, Vieja was included in Cichlasoma. Once recognized as its own genus, it sometimes included most of the superficially similar, relatively large and high-bodied cichlids of Central America and southern Mexico, but several of these are now considered to belong to separate genera: Chuco, Cincelichthys, Isthmoheros, Kihnichthys, Maskaheros and Oscura (Oscuro might still be better merged with Vieja, but this remains unconfirmed). Conversely, Vieja has sometimes been included in Paraneetroplus.[1][3]
There are currently 8 recognized species in the genus Vieja:[2]
- Vieja bifasciata (Steindachner, 1864) (Twoband cichlid)
- Vieja breidohri (U. Werner & Stawikowski, 1987) (Angostura cichlid)
- Vieja fenestrata (Günther, 1860)
- Vieja guttulata (Günther, 1864) (Amatitlan cichlid)
- Vieja hartwegi (J. N. Taylor & R. R. Miller, 1980) (Tailbar cichlid)
- Vieja maculicauda (Regan, 1905) (Blackbelt cichlid)
- Vieja melanurus (Günther, 1862) (Redhead cichlid)
- Vieja zonata (Meek, 1905) (Oaxaca cichlid)
In addition to these, two further species have commonly been recognized: The first is V. coatlicue, but today it is usually considered the Atlantic slope population of V. zonata.[4] The second is V. synspilum, in which case V. melanurus is limited to the Lake Petén system, but a review found that the supposed differences between them are invalid.[5]
Because of individual, regional and age-related variations, definite separation of some species can be difficult.[6] Furthermore, hybrids occur, sometimes even between a Vieja species and a species from another heroine genus.[7] The enigmatic Amphilophus margaritifer, sometimes still recognized as a valid species, is most likely a hybrid involving Thorichthys and Vieja.[3][8]