Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Rhamphochromis: Greek, rhamphos = bill, peak + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic; depth range ? - 148 m (Ref. 55949). Tropical; 9°N - 17°S
Africa: Endemic to Lake Malawi and upper Shire River.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 13 - ? cm
Max length : 28.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5595)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Diagnosis: small, closely-packed teeth; relatively small maximum size; larger specimens often with bright greenish metallic iridescence on upper surface of the body, mature males can be more bluish-grey (Ref. 55949).
Found in reedy bays and lagoons, at open sandy beaches, throughout the shelf and reef zones (Ref. 55949), and in the open water (Ref. 5595, 55949). Piscivorous (Ref. 5595, 55949). Small specimens mostly feed on crustacean zooplankton, adults predominantly eat larvae and juveniles of small shoaling zooplanktivorous cyprinid Engraulicypris sardella; female mouthbrooder (Ref. 55949).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Mouthbrooding females and juveniles commonly found inshore, generally in surface water in the shelf and littoral zones, often in reed bays and lagoons (Ref. 55949).
Maréchal, C., 1991. Rhamphochromis. p. 422-424. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5689)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.62 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (18 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 165 [73, 296] mg/100g; Iron = 2.02 [1.02, 4.06] mg/100g; Protein = 19.7 [17.1, 21.9] %; Omega3 = 0.405 [0.147, 1.131] g/100g; Selenium = 67.1 [25.3, 215.8] μg/100g; VitaminA = 59.9 [15.3, 178.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.65 [1.07, 2.56] mg/100g (wet weight);
