, a member of
Geophagus sensu stricto '' '' Some cichlids previously included in this genus have been reallocated to
Biotodoma,
Gymnogeophagus or
Satanoperca. Even with these as separate genera,
Geophagus is currently
polyphyletic and in need of further
taxonomic revision. There are three main groups: •
Geophagus sensu stricto are mostly relatively peaceful, often have long fin extensions and are native to the
Amazon,
Orinoco and
Parnaíba basins, as well as rivers of the
Guianas. This group can be divided into two subgroups: The first is the
G. surinamensis complex, which includes most species (fish in the aquarium trade often are identified as
G. surinamensis itself, but they are typically other members of this complex.) The second subgroup contains
G. argyrostictus,
G. gottwaldi,
G. grammepareius,
G. harreri and
G. taeniopareius, which are somewhat less peaceful and can be separated from the
G. surinamensis complex by their dark stripe below the eye (however, this feature is shared with the next group). •
G. brasiliensis complex (including
G. diamantinensis,
G. iporangensis,
G. itapicuruensis,
G. multiocellus,
G. obscurus,
G. rufomarginatus and
G. santosi) are more robust and aggressive species found in river basins of eastern and southeastern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina. •
G. steindachneri complex (including
G. crassilabris and
G. pellegrini and undescribed species entering the aquarium trade from Colombia) found west of the
Andes in northern and western Colombia, northwestern Venezuela and Panama where adult males develop a distinct, bulbous red forehead.
Species . •
Geophagus abalios López-Fernández &
Taphorn, 2004 •
Geophagus altifrons Heckel, 1840 •
Geophagus argyrostictus S. O. Kullander, 1991 •
Geophagus brachybranchus S. O. Kullander &
Nijssen, 1989 •
Geophagus brasiliensis (
Quoy &
Gaimard, 1824) (Pearl cichlid) •
Geophagus brokopondo S. O. Kullander &
Nijssen, 1989 •
Geophagus camopiensis Pellegrin, 1903 (Oyapock eartheater) •
Geophagus crassilabris Steindachner, 1876 (Panamanian eartheater) •
Geophagus crocatus Hauser &
López-Fernández, 2013 •
Geophagus diamantinensis Mattos,
W. J. E. M. Costa &
A. C. A. Santos, 2015 •
Geophagus grammepareius S. O. Kullander &
Taphorn, 1992 •
Geophagus harreri J. P. Gosse, 1976 (Maroni eartheater) •
Geophagus iporangensis Haseman, 1911 •
Geophagus itapicuruensis Haseman, 1911 •
Geophagus megasema Heckel, 1840 •
Geophagus mirabilis Deprá,
S. O. Kullander,
Pavanelli &
da Graça, 2014 •
Geophagus multiocellus Mattos &
W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018 •
Geophagus pellegrini Regan, 1912 (Yellowhump eartheater) •
Geophagus pirangaensis Assis, Dergam, Cunha, Machado, Hrbek, Vicente, Queiroz et Henschel, 2026 •
Geophagus proximus (
Castelnau, 1855) •
Geophagus pyrineusi Deprá, Ohara & Silva, 2022 •
Geophagus pyrocephalus Chuctaya et al., 2022 •
Geophagus rufomarginatus Mattos &
W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018 •
Geophagus santosi Mattos &
W. J. E. M. Costa, 2018 •
Geophagus steindachneri C. H. Eigenmann &
Hildebrand, 1922 (Redhump eartheater) •
Geophagus surinamensis (
Bloch, 1791) (Red-striped eartheater) •
Geophagus sveni P. H. F. Lucinda,
C. A. S. de Lucena &
Assis, 2010 •
Geophagus taeniopareius S. O. Kullander &
Royero-L., 1992 •
Geophagus winemilleri López-Fernández &
Taphorn, 2004 ==References==