Satanoperca lilith is one of the largest species in Satanoperca, on average measuring 14 cm (5.5 in) standard length (SL),[4] with a maximum recorded length of 25.5 cm (10.0 in) SL.[2] It is only exceeded in length by Satanoperca jurupari, which can grow up to 26 cm (10 in) SL.[6] The easiest way of distinguishing Satanoperca lilith from related species is the presence of a single dark blotch on its flanks, which is situated on or above scales 11–13 of its lateral line. Satanoperca daemon has two, Satanoperca auticeps has three, and members of the Satanoperca jurupari group have none.[2]
Like other members of its genus, Satanoperca lilith is omnivorous, and will vary its diet and foraging strategies depending on seasonal variations in the water level of its environment.[2]
During the wet season, when water levels are high, Satanoperca lilith will mostly feed on aquatic insectlarvae (such as larval flies, beetles, and caddisflies) and planktoniccrustaceans (such as ostracods, water fleas, and clam shrimp) – roughly 65% of their dietary volume during this time will consist of arthropods alone, with only 8.6% of their diet consisting of plant matter (mostly fruits and seeds).[2]
The dry season corresponds with a marked shift in their diet from arthropods (now comprising just 28.3% of their diet) towards feeding on plant matter (now up to 27.3%, and mostly consisting of leaves). This, in conjunction with the increased prevalence of sand grains in their stomach contents (2.2% during the wet season, to 15.7% during the dry season), indicates that their foraging strategy shifts from active predation at the water's surface to sifting through detritus when water levels are low.[2]
Prior to being formally described in 1988, this species was sold in the aquarium trade as a morph of Satanoperca daemon.[2] It is not commonly sought out by exporters—between the years of 2006 to 2015, only 1,069 specimens of Satanoperca lilith were exported from the Amazonas state of Brazil for the ornamental fish trade.[9]
^ abSilvano, Renato A.M.; Nitschke, Pedro P.; Vieira, Kaluan C.; Nagl, Paula; Martínez, Astrid T.R.; Dutra, Márcia C. F.; Keppeler, Friedrich W.; Chuctaya, Junior A. & Andrade, Marcelo C. (21 November 2020). "Atlas of Fish of Tapajós and Negro Rivers III: Perciformes and Other Fish Groups". Fish and Fisheries in the Brazilian Amazon (1st ed.). Springer. p. 361. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49146-8. ISBN978-3-030-49146-8.