Mayaheros

Mayaheros is a genus of cichlid fish that is native to Mexico and northern Central America. This genus has a disjunct distribution, with the M. urophthalmus group being found in the Atlantic drainages of southeastern Mexico (southern Veracruz east to the Yucatán Peninsula and southwards), Belize, eastern Guatemala, northern Honduras, and northeastern Nicaragua, while M. beani is the northernmost cichlid in the Pacific drainage, ranging from Jalisco to Sonora in northwestern Mexico. Both inhabit a wide range of habitats, such as freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, pools and marshes, as well as brackish waters including estuaries, lagoons, and mangroves, with members of the M. urophthalmus group sometimes even occurring in caves or coastal marine waters. They are medium-sized to large cichlids that are omnivorous, feeding mostly on small animals, but also plants and detritus.

Mayaheros cichlids are sometimes kept in aquaria and commonly caught for food. Broadstock of the M. urophthalmus group that is better suited for farming is being developed by Mexican authorities; M. beani also has potential in farming, but preliminary tests have been complicated by its high levels of aggression. Both M. beani and M. urophthalmus are overall common and regarded as least concern by the IUCN, although certain local populations are under pressure from habitat loss, pollution, overfishing and introduced species. A captive breeding program exists for a few populations of M. beani. If many species are recognized within the M.