Aequidens :Cichlid Genus

Introduction

Aequidens is a South American genus of fish in the family Cichlidae.

Taxonomy

The Genus "Aequidens" is derived from Latin words, equips+equal+dens(teeth), which roughly translates to "Fish with equal teeth".
For a long time "Aequidens" was a catch-all group for South American cichlids with three anal fin spines and lacking any other disntinctive characters.
Many species which were formerly placed in this genus have been reallocated to other genera such as Andinoacara, Bujurquina, Laetacara, Tahuantinsuyoa, Krobia and Cleithracara etc.
As presently defined, Aequidens is largely restricted to the Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin and river basins in The Guianas.
The only exceptions are A. plagiozonatus which also occurs in the Paraná Basin, and A. tetramerus which also occurs in the Parnaíba River.

Description.

Aequidens is recognized for a group of Cichlasoma like cichlids, they differ from Cichlasoma in having naked dorsal and anal fins and long caudal peduncle(tail) including 2-3 vertebrae instead of none.
The genus was reviewed by Kullander in 1983, who recalssified cichlids in this genus into a number of species groups.
Most of these species groups have since been recognized as separate genera

• Bujurquina
• Tahuantinsuyoa
• Laetacara
• Kullander
• Krobia
• Cleithracara

A. tetramerus, is the most widely found species of this genus and attains 160 mm SL.
It is recorded from most of the Amazon, Tocantins, and Orinoco basins, and Guianan rivers.

Species

Currently there are, 17 recognized species placed in this genus.
Many species from this genus are now placed in a new genus Adinocara like A. biseriatus,
A. coeruleopunctatus, A. latifrons, A. pulcher and A. rivulatus etc.

Species Name	Common Name	Image
Aequidens chimantanus	Chusco
Aequidens diadema	Royal Acara
Aequidens epae
Aequidens greciliae
Aequidens hoehnei
Aequidens mauesanus
Aequidens metae	Yellow Acara
Aequidens michaeli
Aequidens pallidus	Double Spot Acara
Aequidens paloemeuensis	Talepuru
Aequidens patricki	Patrick´ Acara
Aequidens potaroensis
Aequidens rondoni	Acara Cichlid
Aequidens tetramerus	Saddle Cichlid
Aequidens tubicen
Aequidens viridis	Golden Acara