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Teleostei (teleosts) > Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Protomelas: Greek, protos = the first + Greek, melas, melanos = black (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Regan.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 2059); 9°S - 15°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: endemic to Lake Malawi; widespread in shallow vegetated areas (Ref. 267).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 18.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4996)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 31. Differs from other species of the genus in the structure of the lower pharyngeal bone, which is somewhat inflated posteriorly, with numerous small bicuspid teeth.

Inhabits shallow vegetated areas; feeds on macrophytes and algae (Ref. 267).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Maréchal, C., 1991. Protomelas. p. 387-393. 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. 4996)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 20 June 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
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Abundance

Life cycle
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Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
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Eggs
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Larvae
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Physiology
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Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
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Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
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Human related
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Stamps, coins, misc.

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00674 - 0.03099), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 2.0 ±0.00 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 (10 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 189 [102, 390] mg/100g; Iron = 1.72 [0.92, 3.52] mg/100g; Protein = 17.9 [16.4, 19.4] %; Omega3 = 0.403 [0.137, 1.151] g/100g; Selenium = 57.9 [22.6, 142.9] μg/100g; VitaminA = 46.8 [9.9, 139.3] μg/100g; Zinc = 3.05 [2.01, 4.68] mg/100g (wet weight);

Protomelas similis (Regan, 1922)