| Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| 4.93 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
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benthopelagic; freshwater |
| Africa: Lake Malawi in Mozambique (Ref. 86409). |
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Dorsal spines (total): 17-18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Diagnosis: A moderately-sloped head and bicuspid teeth in the outer row of the jaws place this species in Maylandia (Ref. 86409). The brown and blue/gray alternating lateral bars in conjunction with the yellow dorsal and dark anal fin of breeding males distinguish M. xanthos from males of all other members of Maylandia (Ref. 86409). Female M. xanthos are yellow/brown, usually more yellow than females of any other member of the Aurora group, but not all female M. xanthos can be distinguished according to the colour pattern; Maylandia xanthos is further distinguished from M. aurora males from the Mbweca and Tumbi Point populations that are similar but lack dark pigment in the anal fin, and from the neighboring M. glaucos by the lower jaw length, which is longer in M. xanthos, 34.6–36.7% of head length, than in M. aurora, 28.4–33.5% of head length, and in M. glaucos, 28.8–32.8% of head length (Ref. 86409).
Description: Dorsal snout profile slightly concave to straight; mouth cleft at slightly downward angle; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary in 2 or 3 rows, on premaxilla in 2 or 3 rows; outer row teeth typically bicuspid anteriorly and unicuspid posteriorly, inner rows tricuspid, innermost row unicuspid; lower pharyngeal jaw with numerous slender teeth with teeth in posterior row slightly larger; portion of upper dental arcade normally visible in closed mouth; tips of teeth in premaxilla and dentary in V-shaped line with anteriormost in upper and lower jaw furthest apart and not touching in closed mouth (Ref. 86409). Lateral scales ctenoid (Ref. 86409).
Colouration: Lateral body colouration of breeding male blue/gray with 6 or 7 brown bars below dorsal fin, yellow ventrally, yellow caudal peduncle with flecks of blue; head gray with 2 blue/gray interorbital bars; ventral third of operculum yellow with gray opercular spot; gular region yellow; dorsal fin yellow with blue lappets; caudal-fin rays yellow with blue membranes; anal fin dark gray/brown with light blue distal edge and 4 orange ocelli; leading edge of pelvic fin white, first ray brown, remainder yellow; pectoral fin clear (Ref. 86409). Female yellow/brown laterally with 5 faint brown bars, yellow breast, and white belly; head orange/brown; gular region yellow; gray/black opercular spot; dorsal fin yellow/brown with orange lappets; caudal-fin rays orange with brown membrane; anal fin orange with 1-4 small yellow ocelli; pelvic fin orange; pectoral fin clear (Ref. 86409). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 22 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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