A new species of peacock bass, Cichla cataractae, is distinguished from all congeners by molecular evidence and unique patterns of adult and juvenile pigmentation. Juveniles (<150 mm SL) have sides of body dominated by a series of three conspicuous dark blotches with the one below soft dorsal fin largest, attenuated posteriorly (long teardrop shape) but distinctly separated from elliptical caudal blotch; same blotches eventually with pale border (ocellated) in largest juveniles. Adult pattern on sides dominated by two distinct dark blotches, each one ocellated; anterior blotch rounded, located below anterior base of spinous dorsal fin and not extending above anterior lateral line; posterior blotch highly irregular in shape, located below soft dorsal fin and often displaced dorsally; additional dark blotch below posterior base of spinous dorsal fin generally absent or small, ocellated or not, and level with anterior blotch; vertical bars on sides generally absent or faint; postorbital stripe always present, highly broken into irregular series of dark spots, each one usually ocellated. Cichla cataractae is endemic to the Essequibo Basin where it typically inhabits rocky shoals in river channels with swift current. The new species is sympatric with the more widely distributed C. ocellaris, a species that prefers lentic habitats. Molecular analysis supports C. cataractae as a distinct lineage in a clade of Cichla containing C. temensis, C. melaniae, C. mirianae, C. piquiti and C. pinima. The oldest extant specimens of the new species were collected by Carl H. Eigenmann in 1908 and documented in his seminal "The Freshwater Fishes of British Guiana" (Eigenmann, 1912).

中文翻译：

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Cichla cataractae (Cichliformes: Cichlidae)，来自埃塞奎博盆地、圭亚那和委内瑞拉的孔雀鲈新种

一种新的孔雀鲈鱼种，Cichla cataractae，通过分子证据和成年和幼年色素沉着的独特模式与所有同类区别开来。幼鱼（<150 mm SL）的身体两侧有一系列三个明显的黑色斑点，其中一个在软背鳍下方最大，后部变薄（长泪珠状），但与椭圆尾斑明显分开；相同的斑点最终在最大的幼鱼中带有苍白的边缘（单眼形）。两侧的成虫图案以两个明显的深色斑点为主，每一个都呈单晶状；前斑圆形，位于棘背鳍前基部下方且不延伸至前侧线以上；后斑的形状高度不规则，位于软背鳍下方并经常向背侧移位；棘背鳍后基部下方附加黑色斑块，一般不存在或很小，有或没有，与前斑块齐平；侧面的垂直条通常不存在或微弱；眶后条纹总是存在，高度分裂成一系列不规则的黑点，每个黑点通常是单晶的。Cichla cataractae 是埃塞奎博盆地的特有种，通常栖息在水流湍急的河道中的岩石浅滩上。新物种与分布更广泛的 C. ocellaris 同域，后者是一种更喜欢静寂栖息地的物种。分子分析支持 C. cataractae 作为包含 C. temensis、C. melaniae、C. mirianae、C. piquiti 和 C. pinima 的 Cichla 进化枝中的独特谱系。Carl H. Eigenmann 于 1908 年收集了新物种现存最古老的标本，并记录在他的开创性“