Paretroplus
Paretroplus is a genus of fishes in the cichlid family, all of which are endemic to lakes and rivers of Madagascar. The vast majority are threatened and restricted to the northwestern part of the island. Only P. polyactis is found in the southern half of Madagascar and only P. polyactis and P. gymnopreopercularis are found in eastern drainages. Most are restricted to freshwater, but at least P. polyactis and P. maromandia can also be seen in brackish habitats.
They are more closely related to the genus Etroplus from India and Sri Lanka than they are to other cichlids from Madagascar. Their maximum length varies greatly depending on the exact species, ranging from in P. kieneri and P. gymnopreopercularis to almost in P. damii. Paretroplus includes both relatively slender-bodied species and relatively deep-bodied species.Species
There are currently 14 recognized species in this genus. Additionally, an undescribed species from the P. damii–''loisellei species group is known from the Ankofia River basin in northwestern Madagascar.
Paretroplus dambabe Sparks, 2002 Paretroplus damii Bleeker, 1868 Paretroplus gymnopreopercularis Sparks, 2008 Paretroplus kieneri Arnoult, 1960 Paretroplus lamenabe Sparks, 2008 Paretroplus loisellei Sparks & Schelly, 2011 Paretroplus maculatus Kiener & Maugé, 1966 Paretroplus maromandia Sparks & Reinthal, 1999 Paretroplus menarambo Allgayer, 1996 Paretroplus nourissati Paretroplus petiti Pellegrin, 1929 Paretroplus polyactis Bleeker, 1878 Paretroplus risengi Sparks & Sparks, 2025 Paretroplus tsimoly Stiassny, Chakrabarty & Loiselle, 2001The genus can be divided into several clades, and these include P. lamenabe, P. nourissati and P. tsimoly, which have been considered worthy of placement in their own genus Lamena. On a higher level these three are part of a clade that also includes P. damii and P. loisellei''.