The Mayan cichlid, 'Cichlasoma' urophthalmus: An Overview

" One of the most ubiquitous fishes in Yucatan continental waters is the Mayan cichlid, 'Cichlasoma' urophthalmus. This species, endemic to the Usumacinta Province, is known with several local names (mojarra castarrica, mojarra rayada, mojarra latinoamericana and mojarra del sureste). Its range cover from Coatzacoalcos river (México) to Prinzapolka river (Nicaragua), along the Atlantic slope of Central America (Espinosa-Pérez et al., 1993). Mayan cichlid's main morphological features are a conspicuous ocellated blotch at caudal base (from which the specific epithet is derived) and seven dark bands (of variable width) across the body. Due to its abundance, this fish supports a small-scale fishery in Yucatan and has been extensively studied for aquaculture purposes (for a review, see Martínez-Palacios & Ross, 1994). The aim of this contribution is to present some relevant features of this fascinating cichlid fish "