Classification / Names
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Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Cichlinae
Etymology: Cribroheros: Name from Latin noun 'crībrum' meaning sieve (verb crībrō meaning to sift or sieve), in combination with the old cichlid genus Heros meaning hero; referring to the substratum sifting feeding strategy.
Eponymy: Don Anastasio Alfaro (1865–1951) was an archaeologist, geologist, ethnologist, zoologist and famous Costa Rican writer. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Meek.
Issue
Villa and Miller, 1975 identified C. bouchellei as a junior synonym of A. alfari. Reviewed by Bussing (1998: 318), with key, diagnosis, geographical distribution, and figures.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.5 - 7.0; dH range: 2 - 10. Tropical; 20°C - 34°C (Ref. 36880)
Central America: Atlantic slope from Honduras (Patuca River) to Costa Rica.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 17.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 137577)
Inhabits all sections of the river from the fast flowing upper sections to the slower moving lower reaches. Collected between 2 and 1150 m elevation. Prefers sand or mud substrata where it sifts for aquatic insects, especially diptera and ephemeroptera and seeds (Ref. 36880). Spawns about 300-400 eggs at the end of the dry season, just before the wet season.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kullander, S.O., 2003. Cichlidae (Cichlids). p. 605-654. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 36377)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
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