cichlid

cichlid (sĭk`lĭd), common name for members of the family Cichlidae, several hundred species of spiny-finned freshwater fishes of moderate or small size, native to Africa, S Asia, Mexico, and Central and South America. Cichlids are found in tropical waters, where they occupy the same ecological niche as their colder-water relatives, the sunfishes. The larger species are food fish of some importance, and small species are popular as aquarium fish. Cichlids are noted for the care they give their young; the eggs are laid in a basin hollowed in the sand and, until they hatch, are stored in the mouth of either the male or the female, depending on the species. Cichlids are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Osteichthyes, order Perciformes, family Cichlidae.

Bibliography

See study by G. W. Barlow (2000).

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cichlid

Any of more than 600 primarily freshwater fish species (family Cichlidae), including many popular aquarium species. Cichlids are found in the New World tropics, Africa and Madagascar, and southern Asia. Most species are African, appearing in great diversity in the major African lakes. Cichlids are deep-bodied and have a rounded tail. They usually grow no longer than about 12 in. (30 cm). Species may be omnivores, herbivores, or carnivores. Cichlids are noted for their complex mating and breeding behavior. Certain species (e.g., tilapia), known as mouthbreeders, carry their eggs in the mouth until hatched. See also angelfish.

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(graphics, tool)

Cichlid - A tool for rapidly visualising arbitrary data in high-quality 3D, while allowing the viewer to explore and interact with the data in real time. Cichlid was designed with remote data generation and machine independence in mind; data is transmitted via TCP from any number of sources (data servers) to the visualisation code (the client), which displays them concurrently.