Cichlid Taxonomy

[FSM]

I'm curious about how the various CA/SA cichlid species have been placed in different genera, and moved around, etc. Most of the books I have read about aquariums don't have accurate info on what genus many of the cichlids are in. Have there been major changes in recent years?

One book, from 2005, puts the Jag (Parachromis managuensis, unless I'm terribly mistaken) in Nandopsis.
Other than that, everything is correct

The next book, published in 1998, puts almost all the CA cichlids in Hericthys (fish that are currently in Amphilophus, Nandopsis, and Parachromis, mostly) but it puts the 'old' genus in () many of which are also outdated.

A book from 1992 uses Cichlasoma on everything.

When were the current genera created? Are these books inaccurate, or just outdated?

 

[andregurov]

Revisions are constantly occurring, as evolutionary relationships become more clear and understood. Blame Kullander for the use of old names - many genera were restricted for use to only South American species, thus widowing several Central American species (I'm kidding about blaming Sven Kullander - the mess wasn't his to clean up). For the best in up-to-date taxonomy, check the Cichlid Room Companion at cichlidae.com. The printed word takes a long, long time to get updated, and the limited publication runs of aquarium books doesn't help. Just look at the TFH fish compendium - there are hundreds to thousands of species epithet errors.

Cichlasoma is one of those genera restricted to SA fishes. Thus the quandary of ex-Cichlasoma, like bocourti & pearsei.