The "Jurupari" Project
Cichlid Science on the Web

The obsolete scientific name "Geophagus jurupari" is used extensively in the tropical fish trade to refer to several species in the cichlid genus Satanoperca. Some of these fish are easily referable to Satanoperca daemon or S. acuticeps, and some to the rarely available S. lilith or S. pappaterra. It is often assumed that the rest are the "White-spot Eartheater", S. leucosticta, or the true S. jurupari from Peru and Brazil. The photos above represent specimens of so-called "Geophagus jurupari" imported into the aquarium trade. Click on the pictures above to learn more about each form. Are these fish all races of a single diverse species? Or perhaps two species: S. jurupari and S. leucosticta? Some have concluded that even the latter assumption is an over-simplification. Although these fish share many common characteristics, the varied color patterns, body forms and spawning behaviors exhibited by the hobby "jurupari" strongly suggest that more than two species are involved. It is not clear even which form is the true S. leucosticta. Perhaps this fish, from the lower Rio Branco, is a representative of the true leucosticta. Then, by extension, perhaps this fish from Rio Tapajos is as well. A fish from Columbia is shown on this linked page: is it the same as one of the above?  This fish from the Rio Meta is from Columbia as well: why is it so different? Is this fish from the Jurua River a true jurupari, or some other species? How about this fish from Rio Capim? Or this contribution from French Guiana. It is similar to several of these, but ... Some students of this group generalize that a fish with an unspeckled snout is an immediate mouthbrooder, either S. jurupari or a species closely related to it; and that Satanoperca with speckled snouts are S. leucosticta and practice delayed mouthbrooding. That makes the variety linked here, the "Red Amazonas" an anomaly: it is an immediate mouthbrooder with speckles on a red base color operculum! Is it related to the fish from Rio Xingu with red on its gill covers? This site is an attempt to illustrate the problem of Satanoperca speciation by posting photos of the varying forms with the available information on origin and behavior. The other contributors and I hope to encourage broader understanding of the differences, and greater collection of data, about these hitherto undifferentiated "species".  Further explanation is found in a new window launched by this link. How many of these forms exist? I will be linking to and posting additional photos of "jurupari" in the months ahead. I encourage you to contribute additional photos and information; you may contact me by E-mail: The "Jurupari" Project.