Laetacara flamannellus OTTONI, BRAGANÇA, AMORIM & GAMA, 2012

Etymology

Laetacara: from the Latin laetus, meaning ‘happy’, and acará, a vernacular term used for cichlids in certain parts of South America, in reference to patterning around the mouth and snout which give members of this genus a ‘smiling’ appearance.

flamannellus: from the Latin flammeus, meaning ‘flaming, fiery’, and annellus, meaning ‘little ring’, in reference to elements of this species’ dorsal-fin patterning (see ‘Notes’).

Classification

Order: Perciformes Family: Cichlidae

Distribution

Known from eastern coastal rivers of Amapá state, Brazil, between Igarapé do Davi in Amapá municipality and córrego Areal in Mazagão municipality.

Type locality is ‘lago Curiaú, following the road AP-70 to Santo Antônio da Pedreira, Macapá municipality, 0°00’54″N, 51°02’26″W’, this being located in Amapá.

Habitat

Mostly collected from seasonally-inundated grasslands in shallow (30-50 cm depth), still water of marginal zones among stands of sedge-like plants.

These habitats are typically flooded between January and June while average air temperature is 28°C/82.4°F.

Sympatric fish species in the grasslands include Rivulus schuncki, juveniles of Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and an unidentified Nannostomus sp.

One contrasting locality was a flowing igarapé with the fish collected from shallow water alongside Apistogramma gossei, Crenicichla inpa,unidentified Krobia and Mesonauta spp., Satanoperca jurupari and Fluviphylax palikur.

Maximum Standard Length

At least 35 – 40 mm.

Reproduction

Presumably a biparental substrate spawner as per other members of the genus.

NotesTop ↑

It’s unclear whether this species has entered the aquarium hobby but it may have been traded occasionally as L. curviceps.

The genus Laetacara currently contains seven valid species and L. flamannellus can be told apart from all congeners except L. curviceps and L. dorsigera by possessing a dark brown or black spot located on the dorsal-fin base.

It differs from L. curviceps and L. dorsigera by the presence (vs. absence) of an orange-coloured ring around the dorsal-fin base spot and additionally from L. dorsigera by absence (vs. presence) of a red belly in breeding specimens, and from L. curvicepsby presence (vs. absence) of a yellow stripe on the middle portion of the entire dorsal-fin, presence of cycloid scales on the opercle  (vs . opercle scales ctenoid), body scales above the upper lateral line with a few ctenii (vs. strongly ctenoid), absence (vs. presence) of a red or purple region on the anal-fin base and absence (vs. usual presence) of a red region on the caudal-fin base.

References

1. Ottoni, F. P., P. H. N Bragança, P. F. Amorim and C. S. Gama, 2012 - Vertebrate Zoology 62(2): 181-188
   A new species of Laetacara from the northern Brazil coastal floodplains (Teleostei: Cichlidae).