Gymnogeophagus n. sp. Norte photo credit: Luc Sirois

 

Gymnogeophagus the “other” eartheaters from South America are equally as interesting and beautiful cichlids. A recent article worth reading on them is called Gymnogeophagus the Glittering Eartheaters of the Far South captures some of these species in great detail. The genus Gymnogeophagus is currently made up of some eleven species with the most recognizable being Gymnogeophagus balzanii which probably has the largest head structure of all of them. This small group of cichlid fishes from South America can be found in Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay including Argentina.

 

There has been a great deal of interest in these fish due to more frequent imports of cichlids these days and also due to a fantastic yearly collecting trip in Uruguay. Visit Aqva Terra for information on sub-tropical fish collecting excursions led by Felipe Cantera. Hobbyists can enjoy a collecting trip of a lifetime in Uruguay. Fishes that have been collected include the genera Gymnogeophagus, Australoheros, Crenicichla, Cichlasoma, Apistogramma and Geophagus.

 

 

 

Gymnogeophagus australis (C. H. Eigenmann, 1907) (Uruguayan eartheater)

Gymnogeophagus balzanii (Perugia, 1891) (Argentine humphead)

Gymnogeophagus caaguazuensis Staeck, 2006

Gymnogeophagus che Casciotta, Gómez & Toresanni, 2000

Gymnogeophagus gymnogenys (R. F. Hensel, 1870) (Smooth-cheek eartheater)

Gymnogeophagus labiatus (R. F. Hensel, 1870) (Earth eater)

Gymnogeophagus lacustris R. E. dos Reis & L. R. Malabarba, 1988

Gymnogeophagus meridionalis R. E. dos Reis & L. R. Malabarba, 1988

Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus (R. F. Hensel, 1870) (Stripefin eartheater)

Gymnogeophagus setequedas R. E. dos Reis, L. R. Malabarba & Pavanelli, 1992

Gymnogeophagus tiraparae González-Bergonzoni, Loureiro & Oviedo, 2009