{{Short description|Genus of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Mesonauta insignis 2.jpg | image_caption = ''Mesonauta insignis'' | taxon = Mesonauta | authority = Günther, 1867 | type_species = ''Heros insignis'' | type_species_authority = Heckel, 1840 }}
'''''Mesonauta''''', the '''flag cichlids''', is a small genus of cichlids native to the Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo, Paraná and Paraguay basins in South America.<ref name=Fishbase>{{FishBase genus | genus = Mesonauta| month = February | year = 2013}}</ref><ref name="Loiselle">{{cite book |last=Loiselle |first=Paul V. |title=The Cichlid Aquarium |year=1995 |publisher=Tetra Press |location=Germany |isbn=1-56465-146-0}}</ref> ''Mesonauta'' is included in the subfamily Cichlasomatinae.<ref name=Fishbase/><ref name="Kullander">{{cite book|last=Kullander|first=S.O.|year=1998| chapter=A phylogeny and classification of the South American Cichlidae (Teleostei: Perciformes)|pages = 461–498 |editor = L.R. Malabarba |editor2=R.E. Reis |editor3=R.P. Vari |editor4=Z.M. Lucena |editor5=C.A.S. Lucena | title=Phylogeny and classification of neotropical fishes| location= Porto Alegre |publisher = EDIPUCRS | isbn = 978-85-7430-035-1 }}</ref> They occur in various freshwater habitats such as streams and lakes, especially in areas with little water movement and aquatic vegetation.<ref name=Sleen2017>{{cite book | editor1=van der Sleen, P. | editor2=J.S. Albert | year=2017 | title=Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas | publisher=Princeton University Press | page=379 | isbn=978-0691170749 }}</ref> They are generally found in small groups that stay near the water surface.<ref name=Kutty>{{cite web|last1=Kutty|first1=V.|url=http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/is_that_a_festivum.php|title=Is that a Festivum?|year=2017|accessdate=28 January 2017}}</ref> To avoid predators, adults may jump out of the water and juveniles mimic leaves.<ref name=Sleen2017/>
Some species are popular in the fishkeeping hobby and are frequently kept in aquariums.<ref name="acichlids">{{cite book|author=Linke H|author2= Staeck L |year=1994|title=American cichlids II: Large Cichlids. A handbook for their identification, care and breeding|publisher= Tetra Press|location= Germany |isbn=1-56465-169-X}}</ref> These have traditionally been referred to as ''M. festivus'', but following taxonomic reviews of the genus in 1991 and 1998,<ref name=Kullander1991>{{cite journal|last1=Kullander|first1=S.O.|last2=Silfvergrip|first2=A.M.C.|title=Review of the South American cichlid genus ''Mesonauta'' Günther (Teleostei, Cichlidae) with descriptions of two new species|year=1991|journal=Revue suisse de Zoologie|volume=92|issue=2|pages=407–448|doi=10.5962/bhl.part.79799|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=Schindler1998>{{cite journal|last1=Schindler|first1=I.|title=''Mesonauta guyanae'' spec. nov., a new cichlid fish from the Guyana Shield, South America (Teleostei: Cichlidae)|year=1998|journal=Zeitschrift für Fischkunde|volume=5|pages=3–12}}</ref> the species most often seen in the aquarium trade are ''M. guyanae'', ''M. insignis'' and ''M. mirificus''.<ref name=Kutty/> The species are similar in general appearance, but they have different distributions and can be separated by the bars they show on the body when stressed or excited (very faint when relaxed).<ref name=Kutty/><ref name=Schindler1998/><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.ciklid.org/artregister/art_slakte.php?ID=Mesonauta | title=''Mesonauta'' | publisher=Nordiske Ciklidsällskapet | language=Swedish | accessdate=4 November 2017}}</ref>
==Species== There are currently seven recognized species in this genus:<ref name=CofG>{{Cof genus | genus = Mesonauta | access-date = 21 January 2026}}</ref> * ''Mesonauta acora'' <small>(Castelnau, 1855)</small> * ''Mesonauta egregius'' <small>S. O. Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991</small> * ''Mesonauta festivus'' <small>(Heckel, 1840)</small> (Flag cichlid) * ''Mesonauta guyanae'' <small>I. Schindler, 1998</small> * ''Mesonauta insignis'' <small>(Heckel, 1840)</small> ("Acará") * ''Mesonauta karipuna'' <small>Oliveira, Britzke, Oliveira & da Graça, 2025</small> * ''Mesonauta mirificus'' <small>S. O. Kullander & Silfvergrip, 1991</small>
==See also== *List of freshwater aquarium fish species
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3650}}
Category:Mesonauta Category:Heroini Category:Cichlid genera Category:Cichlid fish of South America Category:Taxa named by Albert Günther
{{Cichlasomatinae-stub}}