The Mayan Cichlid (Mayaheros urophthalmus) is a medium-sized (to 300 mm) fish that inhabits fresh, brackish, and coastal marine waters in Mexico, Central America, and in introduced habitats in southern Florida and southeast Asia, This 'species' is actually a complex of ~18 subspecies and cryptic species.).Mayan Cichlids were first reported in Joe Bay, Everglades National Park, in 1982. They have expanded their range through southern Florida through canals and coastal waters, reaching Tampa Bay by 2004, and the Indian River Lagoon by 2006, They have also been introduced in the Philippines and Thaiiand. These fish are generalized predators, feeding on invertebrates and smaller fishes. Populations of Mayan Cichlids fluctuated greatly in the Everglades, but high densities were associated with low abundance of native species.