| Family: |
Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| Max. size: |
10 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; depth range 71 - 100 m |
| Distribution: |
Africa: Endemic to Lake Malawi. Occurs in the southern part of the lake. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 14-15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Diagnosis: lower jaw length 40.9-46.5 % head length; premaxillary pedicel 26.8-31.3 % head length; body depth 32.8-35.7 %SL; outer oral jaw teeth tricuspid; cheek depth 20.0-23.5 % head length; interorbital width 20.0-22.4 % head length; head width 41.6-44.5 % head length (Ref. 55898).
Description: relatively small with normal body shape; ventral body profile slightly convex, almost straight; head relatively large; snout pointed and angular; mouth large; gape inclined at more than 20° to horizontal; maxilla extending well beyond vertical at anterior margin of eye; eyes large, upper margin of eye touching dorsal head profile; outer oral teeth tricuspid, a few unicuspid posteriorly; inner oral teeth tricuspid and unicuspid; 2-3 series of scales on cheek; lower pharyngeal jaw normal in shape, all teeth small and slender; gill-rakers on lower part of ceratobranchial short but slender, on upper part long and slender, many deeply forked (Ref. 55898).
Coloration: Preserved mature males: body brownish yellow; 6 dark vertical bars below dorsal fin; snout, chin and belly dark; dorsal fin with broad grey band, white lappets and tips; soft dorsal fin with 2 oblique grey bands; caudal fin with dark submarginal; anal and pelvic fins with dark leading edge (Ref. 55898). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits areas with a muddy floor covered with a thick layer of sedimentary diatoms; feeds on planktonic invertebrates as well as insect larvae found in the substrate (Ref. 5595). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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