Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, the moga, is a species of cichlid native to the Atlantic slope of Central America, from Nicaragua to Costa Rica.[1] The species is a popular aquarium fish and is traded under a variety of common names that include nickie, parrot cichlid, macaw cichlid, butterfly cichlid and nicaraguense.[1] In Costa Rica it is known as a vieja.[2]
| Hypsophrys nicaraguensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Tribe: | Heroini |
| Genus: | Hypsophrys |
| Species: | H. nicaraguensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypsophrys nicaraguensis (Günther, 1864) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Hypsophrys nicaraguensis is able to protrude its jaw to 3.8% of its standard length limiting its diet to only 1% evasive prey.[3]
The species was formerly the only representative of its genus, and is part of family Cichlidae in subfamily Cichlasomatinae.[1] However, the Poor man's tropheus, formerly Neetroplus nematopus, has also been placed into the genus Hypsophrys, as Hypsophrys nematopus.[4]
It occurs in the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge.[2]
| Taxon identifiers |
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