Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology:
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: Lake Ejagham in Cameroon (Ref. 85854).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 85854)
Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: Coptodon deckerti differs from its congeners except for a few members of the genus Coptodon in quadricuspid posterior pharyngeal teeth on lower pharyngeal jaw, a character shared only with Coptodon tholloni, C. cameronensis, C. dageti, C. congica, C. ejagham, and C. nigrans (Ref. 85854). It differs from C. cameronensis and C. dageti in lower length of dorsal fin base, 50.6-54.7% of standard length vs. 57.2-65.0%; from C. tholloni in higher predorsal distance, 41.2-46.1% of standard length vs. 35.6-40.7%; from C. congica in lower body depth, 36.0-40.0% of standard length vs. 41.5-49.2%; from C. kottae in narrower interorbital width, 9.4-12.2% of standard length vs. 12.4-14.0%; and from C. ismailiaensis in longer lower jaw length, 13.8-16.5% of standard length vs. 11.8-12.0% (Ref. 85854). Differences to C. nigrans are based on a combination of morphometric, life history, genetic and ecological data, i.e. a shorter snout length, 12.7-15.6% of standard length vs. 15.8-18.2%, by breeding exclusively in the shallow water above 2 m water depth vs. excavated caves below 5 m depth, largest reproductively active C. deckerti specimen are smaller than smallest reproductively active specimens of C. nigrans, 60.2-102.2 mm standard length vs. 105.5-151.5 mm (Ref. 85854). It differs from C. ejagham in larger eye length, 8.5-10.7% of standard length vs. 6.2-8.4% (Ref. 85854).
Pair-bonding, open substrate brooder/spawner with both parents guarding the brood (Ref. 52307, 81260). It breeds in shallow water above 2 m water depth, where pairs excavate shallow pits often close to stones, branches or similar structures (Ref. 85854). Coptodon cf. deckerti observed to primarily feed upon zooplankton, copepods and small amounts of insect larvae; juveniles were observed nibbling on fins of Sarotherodon species (Ref. 52307).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Dunz, A.R. and U.K. Schliewen, 2013. Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as "Tilapia". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 68(1):64-80. (Ref. 93285)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01514 (0.00700 - 0.03275), b=2.97 (2.80 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.7 ±0.1 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
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).
