Cichlid

Many fish are called cichlids.

They live in many places. They live in Africa and other lands.

Some are very small. Some are very big. They have many bright colors. They also have many shapes.

Most cichlids are good parents. They guard their eggs. Some even carry babies in their mouths. These fish are very special.

Cichlids are a huge family of fish.

There are at least 1,760 known species. Some experts think there are up to 3,000!

They live in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

These fish have a special way to eat. They have a second set of jaws. These are called pharyngeal jaws. They are located near the throat. These jaws help them process food easily. This helps them eat many different things.

Cichlids are also famous for being good parents. They care for their eggs and babies, called fry. Some fish guard their eggs on the ground. Others use mouthbrooding. This means they carry the eggs in their mouths to keep them safe.

In African lakes, cichlids change very fast. This is called rapid evolution. This means they turn into new species quickly. This happened because lake levels changed over time. When water levels dropped, fish groups became separated. When water rose, the groups met again. This helped them become many different kinds of fish.

Cichlids are a massive family of fish found all over the world.

Scientists have named at least 1,760 different species so far. Some experts believe there are actually between 2,000 and 3,000 species in total. These fish live in places like Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

Many people know them as popular pets in home aquariums. You might see fish like the angelfish, discus, or oscar in a pet store. Some cichlids are also very important for food. Others, like the Cichla species, are used for game fishing.

One amazing thing about cichlids is how they eat. They have a special feature called pharyngeal jaws. These are a second set of jaws located near the throat. A complex set of muscles moves these bones to help process food. This allows the fish to use their main jaws and their throat jaws for different jobs. Because of this, they are very efficient at eating many different things. This ability to eat many types of food helps them thrive in many places.

Cichlids are also famous for being very good parents. Every cichlid species practices some form of parental care for their eggs and babies, which are called fry. Some fish stay close to guard their eggs and young on the ground. Other species use a method called mouthbrooding. In mouthbrooding, the parent carries the eggs or fry inside their mouth to keep them safe.

This care helps more of their babies survive to grow up.

In the great lakes of Africa, cichlids change very quickly. This happens because the lakes themselves have a busy history. Long ago, tectonic rifting created the basins for Lakes Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika.

Lake Tanganyika is the oldest, forming about 12 to 9 million years ago. Lake Malawi formed more recently during the Pliocene period. Over time, the water levels in these lakes went up and down many times. These changes caused fish groups to become separated or reconnected. This process helped many new species form through rapid evolution.

Scientists still study how these fish spread across the globe. Some thought they moved when the giant landmass called Gondwana broke apart. However, new studies using DNA show the fish are actually much younger. This suggests they may have traveled across the ocean to reach new homes. This is a mystery because most cichlids live in fresh water. They might have used narrow oceans or river paths to move.

Today, they remain one of the most important groups for studying how life changes.

Cichlids are a massive and incredibly diverse family of fish.

They belong to the family Cichlidae within the order Cichliformes. Scientists have formally described at least 1,760 different species. However, many more species likely exist but have not been named yet. Estimates suggest the true number could be between 2,000 and 3,000 species. This makes them one of the largest vertebrate families on Earth. Only the Cyprinidae family has more species.

These fish are found in the Neotropics, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. While most live in freshwater, some have been introduced to waters all over the world.

One of the most fascinating things about cichlids is their unique anatomy. All cichlids share a specific trait: the fusion of their lower pharyngeal bones. These bones form a single, tooth-bearing structure located near the throat. A complex system of muscles allows these bones to act as a second set of jaws. This creates a division of labor between the mandibles, which are the true jaws, and the pharyngeal jaws.

Because they have two sets of jaws, they are highly efficient feeders. They can capture and process a huge variety of different food items. This specialized feeding ability is likely a major reason why they have become so diverse.

Cichlids also show a massive range of physical appearances. They vary greatly in body size. Some species, like the female Neolamprologus multifasciatus, are very small. Other species, such as Boulengerochromis or Cichla, can grow much larger. Their body shapes are just as varied. Some species are laterally compressed, meaning they are flattened from side to side. Examples include the Altolamprologus and the colorful Discus.

Other cichlids are cylindrical and elongated, like the genus Julidochromis. Most cichlids, however, tend to be medium-sized and ovate in shape.

Parental care is a defining behavior for this family. Every cichlid species practices some form of care for their eggs and fry. Fry are the young fish that have just hatched. Some species guard their eggs and young on the ground or on a surface.

Other species use a method called mouthbrooding. In mouthbrooding, the parent carries the eggs or the fry inside their mouth for protection.

This dedicated care helps ensure that more offspring survive to adulthood.

In the African Great Lakes, cichlids undergo rapid evolution. This process is called speciation, where new species form quickly. This happens in Lakes Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika. The history of these lakes is tied to tectonic rifting. This geological activity occurred about 20 to 25 million years ago. It created the basins that hold these massive lakes. Lake Tanganyika is the oldest, forming between 12 and 9 million years ago. Lake Malawi formed more recently during the Pliocene, about 5 to 2 million years ago.

Climate changes in these lakes drove the evolution of the fish. Sediment cores show that lake levels fluctuated wildly over time. In Lake Malawi, there were at least 24 drops in water level of 200 meters. There were also 14 drops of 400 meters. These drops were caused by dry periods and changes in precipitation. When water levels dropped, fish populations became geographically isolated. This isolation allowed them to evolve into different species. When water levels rose again, the populations reconnected. This allowed for hybridization and gene flow between the groups.

Scientists have long debated how cichlids spread across the globe. Some believed they moved when the supercontinent Gondwana broke apart. This would mean cichlids are an ancient group from the Early Cretaceous. However, new studies using molecular phylogenetics tell a different story. DNA evidence suggests cichlids are much younger than the breakup of Gondwana. They likely originated during the Late Cretaceous or the Eocene. This means they must have dispersed across oceans to reach different continents. How freshwater fish crossed thousands of kilometers of salt water remains a mystery. They may have used narrow oceans or large river plumes to travel.

Today, cichlids are very important to humans in many ways. Many species, like tilapia, are vital food sources. Others, like the Cichla species, are prized as game fish. They are also among the most popular fish for aquarium hobbyists. People love keeping species like angelfish, oscars, and discus in home tanks.

However, the family also faces serious challenges. Cichlids have the largest number of endangered species among vertebrate families. Most of these endangered species belong to the haplochromine group. Protecting their natural habitats is essential for their survival.