New Cichlasoma Species in Florida

Misidentified cichlids from central Florida have officially been identified as Cichlasoma dimerus instead of Cichlasoma bimaculatum. 

https://www.floridam...fish-corrected/

https://www.reabic.n...rectedproof.pdf

I thought Cichlosoma has been invalidated as a genus?

Thanks for sharing that article.  It's nice to see the emphasis on the importance of citizen scientists and hobbyists collecting data, doing there own data, and reaching out to others in the field to answer questions or solve problems.

I thought Cichlosoma has been invalidated as a genus?

 

Cichlasoma is a valid genus. It used to be a catch all genus and had many, many species. Most of the species were kicked out during reclassification by Dr. Sven Kullander and others, but there are something like 15 or 16 species left that are valid.

Purple dots = dimerus (Tampa & central FL);  Black dots = bimaculatum (south FL).  Ken Davis has compared the Tampa area "dimerus" with wild ones he collected in Uruguay and thinks the Tampa ones are not pure dimerus, but are hybrids.