Home Species Pages Scientific Papers Articles Photos Dichotomous Key Store About the GSG Links/Sponsors	Gymnogeophagus tiraparae Introduction: G. tiraparae is the newest addition to the Gymnogeophagus genus. This species was commonly imported as G. sp. 'San Borja', refering to the town near where this species is native. Scientific Name: Gymnogeophagus tiraparae Etymology: "Gymno" is the Greek word for "naked", referring to the lack of scales in the head region. Geophagus is derived from the Greek word "Gea" meaning "Earth", and the Greek word "Phagein" meaning "to eat". Tiraparae takes its name from Maria Luisa Tirapare, a Guarani woman who founded the now disappeared town of San Borja del Yi (close to the first locality where the new species was found), the last native town in Uruguayan land, where natives, fugitive African slaves, gauchos, and other outsiders lived together (etymology of tiraparae taken from original description by Gonzalez-Bergonzoni, Loureiro and Oviedo). Synonyms: None. Distribution: This species is found in Uruguay in the Rio Negro and Rio Tacuari basins. Physical Description: Closely related to G. gymnogenys, and thus shares similar body structures and color. This species is seperated from others in the genus by having a very large apidose hump in males, which extends from the lip to the dorsal base. This is the only species within this genus that lacks vertical barring on its flanks. Size: 130 mm. Water Parameters: pH: 6.0-7.0 Hardness: Low-Moderate Temperature: 70-74 Degrees. This species will require a wintering period. Recommended Tank Size: A 40 gallon should be sufficient to house one pair of this species. Breeding: G. tiraparae is a delayed maternal mouthbrooder. In the wild, specimens breed after the 3 months of winter they experience, where temperatures regularly drop to the 50's. In the original description, females that were brooding offspring were found at the end of spring and summer. Photos: Click Here Original Description: "A new species of Gymnogeophagus from the Rio Negro and Rio Tacuari basins, Uruguay (Teleostei: Perciformes)" Ivan Gonzalez-Bergonzoni, Marcelo Loureiro and Sebastian Oviedo Absract: The new cichlid species Gymnogeophagus tiraparae is described from the Rio Negro and Rio Tacuari basins (Uruguay). The new species is distinguished from other Gymnogeophagus species by the unique presence of the following characters: adipose hump on head deeper than the dorsal-fin upper border, adipose hump with anterior profile vertical, extending from the upper lip to the dorsal-fin origin, absence of transversal bands on body; two horizontal series of moderately elongated light blue dots between dorsal fin spines, and a series of light blue stripes between soft rays, sometimes merged with the second series of elongated dots, always with a red ground color between series of dots, and caudal fin with dots vertically aligned on its distal border. According to these characters and a recent molecular phylogenetic analysis, the new species is closely related to G. gymnogenys.	Latest GSG News:Jan. 11, 2011 - The GSG now has a page on Facebook. Press 'like' below! Jan. 11, 2011 - Want to recieve our newsletter? Email me: Mack@gymnogeophagus.com