Crenicichla is a genus of cichlids native to South America, which are one of the genera commonly known as pike cichlids. They are found in most tropical and subtropical freshwater habitats between the Andes and the Atlantic.

Description

The smallest species of Crenicichla are no larger than and may be referred to as "dwarf cichlids" for the aquarium hobby – though their aggressive and territorial habits make them unsuitable for novice keepers. The smallest members, and formerly the C. wallacii species complex was split off to Wallaciia in 2023, along with the former C. saxatilis complex which became Saxatilia and the C. lugubris complex which became Lugubria. In the same paper, one further genus was erected (Hemeraia) and the remaining species were divided into subgenera. Like many other predatory fishes, a pike cichlid has a wide mouth and elongated body.

Distribution and ecology

The genus Crenicichla is native to freshwater in tropical and subtropical South America east of the Andes, ranging from Trinidad and the Guiana Shield (including Orinoco), through the Amazon and Río de la Plata Basins, south as far as Río Negro in Argentina. Although widespread as a group, the individual species are often restricted to a single river or river basin. They are found in a wide range of habitats, including rivers, streams, pools and lakes; some species are rheophilic.

  • Subgenus Batrachops
  • Crenicichla cametana <small>Steindachner, 1911</small>
  • Crenicichla cyanonotus <small>Cope, 1870</small>
  • Crenicichla cyclostoma <small>Ploeg, 1986</small>
  • Crenicichla geayi <small>Pellegrin, 1903</small> (half-banded pike cichlid)
  • Crenicichla jegui <small>Ploeg, 1986</small>
  • Crenicichla reticulata <small>(Heckel, 1840)</small>
  • Crenicichla sedentaria <small>S. O. Kullander, 1986</small>
  • Crenicichla semifasciata <small>(Heckel, 1840)</small>
  • Crenicichla stocki <small>Ploeg, 1991</small>
  • Subgenus Crenicichla
  • Crenicichla macrophthalma <small>Heckel, 1840</small>
  • Subgenus Lacustria
  • Crenicichla celidochilus <small>Casciotta, 1987</small> (black-lipped pike cichlid)
  • Crenicichla empheres <small>C. A. S. de Lucena, 2007</small>
  • Crenicichla gaucho <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla gillmorlisi <small>S. O. Kullander & C. A. S. de Lucena, 2013</small>
  • Crenicichla hadrostigma <small>C. A. S. de Lucena, 2007</small>
  • Crenicichla haroldoi <small>Luengo & Britski, 1974</small>
  • Crenicichla hu <small>Piálek, Říčan, Casciotta & Almirón, 2010</small>
  • Crenicichla igara <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla iguapina <small>S. O. Kullander & C. A. S. de Lucena, 2006</small> <!-- NeotropIchthyol4:127. -->
  • Crenicichla iguassuensis <small>Haseman, 1911</small>
  • Crenicichla jaguarensis <small>Haseman, 1911</small>
  • Crenicichla jupiaensis <small>Britski & Luengo, 1968</small>
  • Crenicichla jurubi <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla lacustris <small>(Castelnau, 1855)</small>
  • Crenicichla lucenai <small>Mattos, I. Schindler, Ottoni & Cheffe, 2014</small>
  • Crenicichla maculata <small>S. O. Kullander & C. A. S. de Lucena, 2006</small> <!-- NeotropIchthyol4:127. -->
  • Crenicichla mandelburgeri <small>S. O. Kullander, 2009</small>
  • Crenicichla minuano <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla missioneira <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla mucuryna <small>R. Ihering (pt), 1914</small>
  • Crenicichla niederleinii <small>(Holmberg, 1891)</small> nomen dubium
  • Crenicichla prenda <small>C. A. S. de Lucena & S. O. Kullander, 1992</small>
  • Crenicichla punctata <small>R. F. Hensel, 1870</small>
  • Crenicichla scottii <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1907)</small>
  • Crenicichla taikyra <small>Casciotta, Almirón, Aichino, S. E. Gómez, Piálek, & Říčan, 2013</small>
  • Crenicichla tapii <small>Piálek, Dragová, Casciotta, Almirón & Říčan, 2015</small>