Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Geophaginae
Etymology: Gymnogeophagus: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, gea = the earth + Greek, phaegein, to eat (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Luigi Balzan (1865–1893) was an Italian naturalist who set out on a grand tour of South America (1890), traveling alone by whatever means he could find, through Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Bolivia. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Issue
Redescription in Reis & Malabarba (1988).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Subtropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: Paraná River basin, in the Paraguay drainage in Brazil and Paraguay, the Paraná drainage in Argentina; the lower Uruguay drainage in Uruguay and Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36377)
Max. length 20 cm TL (Ref. 1672).
Larvophile mouth brooders. Female tends the clutch. This updates previous information from Ref. 1672.
Kullander, S.O., 2003. Cichlidae (Cichlids). p. 605-654. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 36377)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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