| Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| 10.64 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
|
benthopelagic; freshwater |
| Africa: Endemic to Chizumulu Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi (Ref. 57549). |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 16-17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-10. Diagnosis: supra-pectoral spot 2-2.5 times diameter of supra-anal spot; 17-19 gill rakers on 1st ceratobranchial; males in breeding coloration: blue breast and narrow yellow marginal band in anal fin; males with light spots in anal fin (Ref. 57549).
Description: body deep; straight (females and immatures) to concave (large adults) dorsal head profile; gape inclination of mouth about 40° to horizontal; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary and premaxilla in 3 rows, teeth in outer row bicuspid in juveniles and females, large and unicuspid in mature males; lower pharyngeal jaw small, dentigerous area slender, with tiny bicuspid teeth and posterior row enlarged with 2 central teeth about 2x width of others; gill-rakers on ceratobranchial short and broad-based with lower 6-8 reduced to short stubs; 1-3 pored scales posterior to lateral line; 2-3 scale rows on cheek; 3 teeth rows in upper and lower jaw (Ref. 57549).
Coloration: breeding males: head blue with green highlights; preorbital region gray; throat white with gray patches; lateral portion of body blue, with anterior portion of scales above upper lateral line orange/brown and anterior portion of scales below upper lateral line gold; breast gray with blue spots; belly gray with blue/white highlights; dorsal membranes pale yellow with blue markings, membranes between rays with yellow spots, spines and rays blue proximally and gray distally; dorsal fin with black marginal band with white lappets and yellow tips; caudal fin with blue rays and blue and yellow membranes, black band located 2/3 distally; proximal 2/3 of anal fin with small blue ocelli, margin black band with yellow lappets; pectoral fin clear; pelvic fin clear with white leading edge and black band located 2/3 distally (Ref. 57549).
Females: head gray; cheeks silvery with purple highlights; opercle silver with brown and blue highlights and black opercle spot; throat white; lateral portion of body with 3 black spots; supra-pectoral spot below 9-14th scale sometimes in contact with upper lateral line and about 2-2.5 times size of supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot at 23-25th scale above and in contact with lower
lateral line and covering 3-4 scales; caudal spot
smaller than supra-anal spot on caudal base extending onto caudal peduncle; above upper lateral line bronze ground color with green highlights; below upper lateral line silver ground color with center of each scale either blue or yellow and anteriorly outlined in gold; 2-3 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and dorsal-fin origin; breast and belly white; dorsal fin dark gray with orange spots, white lappets, and yellow tips; proximal 1/3 of caudal fin dark gray, distal 2/3 light gray with yellow spots; proximal 2/3 of anal fin dark gray, distal 1/3 light gray with yellow ocelli; pectoral fin clear; first 2 membranes and rays of pelvic fin gray, remaining clear (Ref. 57549). |
| Males build bowers at the sand-rock interface at depths of 12-20m; females form small groups; feeds on plankton in the water column and on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 57549). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 22 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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