|
Labeotropheus candipygia Pauers & Phiri, 2023 |
| Family: | Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae | |||
| Max. size: | 9.72 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater | |||
| Distribution: | Africa: Malawi. | |||
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 16-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Diagnosis: Labeotropheus candipygia differs from all other species of Labeotropheus by the typical nuptial colouration of the males: male L. candipygia have a distinct iridescent silvery-blue or silvery-white ventral surface; this unique colouration extends from the branchiostegals to the anus in all individuals, and will extend to through the caudal peduncle to the ventral attachment of the caudal fin in some individuals; above this silvery-white ventrum, males are ochreous orange, which covers most of the head and can extend to the base of the dorsal fin, and extends posteriorly through the caudal peduncle to the base of the caudal fin, or they will be a dull greyish blue with ochreous-orange highlights on the scales of the dorsum; both colour patterns feature a brilliantly iridescent white dorsal fin that has ochreous-orange tips, and patches of iridescent blue, black, orange, or red pigmentation (Ref. 128773). Labeotropheus candipygia differs from the slender-bodied Labeotropheus, L. trewavasae, L. simoneae, L. chirangali, except L. rubidorsalis, due to its greater body depth, 32.0-38.6% of standard length vs. 26.3-33.4% in L. trewavasae, 26.9-30.8% in L. simoneae, 26.6-33.2% in L. chirangali; it does have a generally deeper body than L. rubidorsalis, although the ranges overlap, 31.6-36.1% in L. rubidorsalis; It differs from L. rubidorsalis primarily in the nuptial colouration of the males, but also by a generally shorter snout length, 19.7-33.9% of head length vs. 29.8-42.7%, a longer snout pad, 11.3-19.2% of head length vs. 10.3-14.4%, and a greater number of tooth rows in the upper jaw, 4-6 vs. 3-4 (Ref. 128773). Labeotropheus candipygia differs from the other robust-bodied Labeotropheus primarily via male nuptial colouration (Ref. 128773). While the morphometric and meristic values largely overlap with the other robust Labeotropheus, there are some distinctions: Labeotropheus candipygia has a greater distance between the tip of the snout and the origin of the dorsal fin, 32.2-36.8% of standard length vs. 30.8-33.8%, a shorter distance between the insertion of the dorsal and anal fins, 13.9-16.7% of standard length vs. 16.5-17.4%, and fewer teeth in the left side of the lower jaw, 23-24 vs. 31-43, than L. fuelleborni; it typically has a shorter snout, 19.7-33.9% of head length vs. 25.2-40.8%, greater rostral length, 35.1-49.7% of head length vs. 22.9-43.7%, and a larger snout pad, 11.3-19.2% of head length vs. 7.4-16.1%, than L. artatorostris; it has a narrower interorbital width, 32.7-42.8% of head length vs. 40.1-43.5%, and typically fewer infraorbital neuromasts, 13-33 vs. 25-40, than L. chlorosiglos; it differs from L. obscurus due to a shorter distance between the insertions of the dorsal and anal fins, 13.9-16.7% of standard length vs. 15.8-17.8%, a shorter distance between the insertion of the dorsal fin and the origin of the anal fin, 27.4-31.7% of standard length vs. 30.3-33.2%, a typically shorter lower jaw, 21.5-39.4% of head length vs. 27.6-40.4%, more rows of teeth in the upper jaw, 4-6 vs. 3-4, more teeth in the left half of the lower jaw, 23-34 vs. 20-26, and fewer infraorbital neuromasts, 13-33 vs. 22-46 (Ref. 128773). Description: Body compressiform, ovoid shape; body depth 32.0-38.6% of standard length; body consistently deep throughout its length; body moderately wide at pectoral fin and opercular tab (Ref. 128773). Scales on belly and anterior abdomen cycloid and tightly crowded; flank scales ctenoid; exposed portion of scale fan-shaped and approximately hexagonal; anterior lateral line overlapping posterior lateral line by 0-3 scales; anterior lateral line scales 20-25, posterior lateral line scales 10-15; dorso-lateral scale rows 8-11; pectoro-pelvic scale rows 8-12; cheek scale rows 2-6 (Ref. 128773). Dorsal fin long, with 16-19 spines and 7-10 rays; origin of dorsal fin anterior to or opposite opercular tab; dorsal rays 3, 4, 5 long, reaching beyond hypural to caudal fin; anal fin angular and kite-shaped; anal rays 3, 4, 5 long in most males and some females, reaching past caudal peduncle to caudal fin; most female specimens with short anal-fin rays, reaching only to caudal peduncle; anal-fin origin opposite dorsal-fin spine 14, 15, or 16; anal-fin insertion anterior to or opposite dorsal-fin insertion; caudal fin subtruncate; pectoral fin rounded, 13-15 rays; pelvic fin long, minimally reaching origin of anal fin and longer in the majority of specimens; pelvic-fin ray slightly produced and filamentous in all males and most females; produced and non-filamentous in some females; pelvic-fin attachment opposite dorsal-fin spine 4, 5 or 6 (Ref. 128773). Head long, 29.8-35.3% of standard length, and relatively shallow; strongly curved profile with slight concavity above eye and prominent snout; snout short but wide with long snout pad, 11.3-19.2% of head length; cheek compact with 2-6 scale rows; infraorbital pores 9 or 10 with 13-35 neuromasts among them; oral jaws short and wide; oral teeth tricuspid and closely set on both upper and lower jaws; 4-11 tricuspid teeth on lateral portion of left upper jaw (Ref. 128773). Gill rakers stout, triangular, and widely spaced; 6-10 ceratobranchial and 1-3 epibranchial gill rakers on first gill arch; all specimens with 1 raker between the cerato- and epibranchial rakers (Ref. 128773). Colouration: Colouration of males: ground colour pale blue, fading to silvery blue or silvery white across ventral surface of head and flank; snout, jaws, operculum, throat, anterior abdomen, ventrum, and ventral portion of caudal peduncle all silvery blue or silvery white; all portion of head, operculum, flank, and caudal peduncle dorsal to the dorsal attachment of pectoral fin with ochreous-orange colouration; scales of flank and caudal peduncle either entirely ochreous orange or ringed with ochreous orange around pale blue or silvery blue center of scale; opercular tab black, sometimes with faint greenish sheen; ground colour of dorsal-fin membrane silvery blue or silvery white, sometimes overlain by red patches throughout fin, or by ochreous-orange patches along proximal portion; tips of dorsal fin ochreous orange; caudal fin blue or silvery blue, grading to black posteriorly; thin orange trailing edge; anal fin white or bluish white, with 3-5 orange-yellow eggspots; pelvic fin pale red posteriorly with bright white leading edge; thick black band between white leading edge and posterior red colour (Ref. 128773). Colouration of females: head, body, and caudal peduncle uniformly light brown, with 11 faint dark bars extending across flank and caudal peduncle; opercular tab black; scales of flank and caudal peduncle with small orange spots close to insertion of scale; throat and branchiostegals orange; dorsal fin brownish grey with orange tips and orange trailing edge; caudal fin brownish grey with thin orange trailing edge; anal fin brownish grey with 1-2 yellow eggspots and orange trailing edge; pelvic fin pale orange posteriorly with bright white leading edge; thick black band between white leading edge and posterior orange colour (Ref. 128773). In preservative: males uniformly dark brown or grey with 11 faint vertical bars visible across flank and caudal peduncle on some specimens; females uniformly dark brown or grey with 11 faint vertical bars visible across flank and caudal peduncle on some specimens (Ref. 128773). |
|||
| Biology: | ||||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||