Crenicara punctulata (Günther, 1863)
Checkerboard cichlid
Crenicara punctulata
photo by JJPhoto

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Cichlinae
Max. size:  10 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 5 - 6; dH range: 0.100000001490116 - 10, non-migratory
Distribution:  South America: Amazon River basin, in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Brazil, in tributaries of the rivers Ucayali, Marañón, Solimões and Amazon from about the Pachitea River on the Ucayali River to about Gurupá; upper Mamoré River in Bolivia, and Madre de Dios River drainage in Peru; Essequibo River drainage in Guyana; Amapá Grande River in Amapá, Brazil.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  In forest creeks and sandy river shores, often near fallen leaves or among plants. Young are all females; at about 8 months of age one female changes into a dominant male (Ref. 42575).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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