Amphilophus zaliosus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amphilophus zaliosus |
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Cichlasoma zaliosum Barlow, 1976 |
Amphilophus zaliosus is a special type of fish called a cichlid. It lives only in Lake Apoyo in Nicaragua. People who keep fish as pets often call it the arrow cichlid because of its long, sleek body. This fish is part of a group of similar cichlids known as the Midas cichlid family. Five other newly found species from this family also live in Lake Apoyo. Scientists believe all six species in the lake evolved from one ancestor, right there in the lake!
Appearance
Most Amphilophus cichlids in Nicaragua are yellow. But the arrow cichlid is different. It does not have this yellow color. Its body is usually silver or greenish-gray. When these fish are ready to breed, their bodies can turn completely black.
Conservation Status
The arrow cichlid is the only fish from Lake Apoyo that has been studied by the IUCN. The IUCN is a group that checks how endangered animals are. They have listed the arrow cichlid as Critically Endangered on their IUCN Red List. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
Scientists do not have much information about how many of these fish are left. However, four other cichlid species in Lake Apoyo might have even smaller numbers. These are Amphilophus flaveolus, A. chancho, A. supercilius, and A. globosus. Another fish, A. astorquii, makes up about 80% of all the native cichlids that breed in the lake.
See also
In Spanish: Amphilophus zaliosus para niños
