Andinoacara stalsbergi Musilová, Schindler & Staeck, 2009
Andinoacara stalsbergi
photo by Musilova, Z.

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Cichlasomatinae
Max. size:  11.3 cm SL (male/unsexed); 10.3 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; pH range: 7.7 - 9.2; dH range: 6.7 - 40
Distribution:  South America: trans-andean rivers and lakes at the Peruvian Pacific coast.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 13-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-10. Andinoacara stalsbergi is a member of the Andinoacara rivulatus group. It closely resembles A. rivulatus with which it shares the comparatively large size (TL >200 mm in males), the color pattern of the cheeks and a light vertical stripe anterior and posterior to the rectangular midlateral spot. It can be easily diagnosed from this species by specific color characteristics, viz. having a conspicuous white margin in both the dorsal and caudal fin and on the body sides scales with light centers and contrasting dark marginal lines forming a fine reticulate pattern (Ref. 82770).
Biology:  Andinoacara stalsbergi was caught from various localities. This was collected in brackish lake, Laguna de Vegueta. The banks of this lake were partly covered with aquatic and submerged terrestrial vegetation (Hydrocotyle bonariensis and Bacopa monnieri). This species was found in association with other fish fauna such as Bryconamericus peruvianus, Lebiasina bimaculata (Characidae), Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae) and Dorminator latifrons (Eleotridae). Another collection site was Río Pisco near Independencia, a clear river approximately 10 m wide with bottom covered with sand and rocks and without submerged vegetation. This species was also recorded from Laguna Ñapique, characterized by turbid water and sandy bottom. In Laguna San Ramón, the associated fish fauna of this species were Tilapia sp. (Cichlidae) and Bryconamericus peruanus. Ecological data suggests that this species adapts well to very alkaline and hard water rich in dissolved minerals and even tolerates brackish water (Ref. 82770).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 September 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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