Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Diplotaxodon: Greek, diploos = twice + Greek, taxis = disposition + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Trewavas.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 34 - 114 m (Ref. 55949). Tropical; 12°S - 15°S
Africa: south end of Lake Malawi (Ref. 5595, 5628).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 55949)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11. Diagnosis: Relatively shallow body with flat dorsal profile; relatively large, upwardly-pointing mouth with strongly protruding lower jaw; large number of gill-rakers (Ref. 55949).
Found in open water at mostly deep levels, where it can form enormous shoals (Ref. 5595). It is a piscivore that mainly feeds on lake sardine, Engraulicypris sardella (Ref. 5595).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Turner, G.F., R.L. Robinson, P.W. Shaw and G.R. Carvalho, 2004. Identification and biology of Diplotaxodon, Rhamphochromis and Pallidochromis. p.198-251. In Snoeks, J. (ed.) The cichlid diversity of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa: identification, distribution and taxonomy. Cichlid Press, El Paso, USA, 360p. (Ref. 55949)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [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): 4.2 ±0.73 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 (15 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 125 [66, 251] mg/100g; Iron = 1.48 [0.83, 2.86] mg/100g; Protein = 18.5 [16.9, 20.0] %; Omega3 = 0.607 [0.214, 1.783] g/100g; Selenium = 72.9 [28.3, 177.9] μg/100g; VitaminA = 109 [25, 378] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.61 [1.07, 2.49] mg/100g (wet weight);