Bathybates vittatus
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| Bathybates vittatus | ||||||||||||
| Boulenger , 1914 |
Bathybates vittatus is an African cichlid , the endemic in the East African Tanganjikasee occurs.
features
Bathybates vittatus is elongated, laterally strongly flattened and can reach a maximum length of 42 cm. Like all Bathybates species, Bathybates vittatus has small secondary scales that are arranged in a ring around the larger primary scales. In contrast to all other Bathybates species, the primary scales in Bathybates vittatus are completely covered by the secondary scales. The secondary scales are used to avoid turbulence that occurs on uneven surfaces and to make the fish more streamlined and faster. Typical of Bathybates vittatus are oval shaped eyes, the four horizontal dark stripes on the sides of the body and the clearly notched dorsal fin.
- Fins formula : dorsal XV – XVI / 15–16, anal III / 14–16.
- Scale formula 77-87 (mLR)
- 11–13 gill rake
Way of life
Bathybates vittatus lives in small schools and feeds mainly on the two species of herring Limnothrissa miodon and Stolothrissa tanganicae that occur in Lake Tanganyika . Spawning takes place in sandy zones close to the shore. After spawning, the female takes the eggs in her mouth (mouth brooders ). The fry mingle with the schools of sand cichlids ( Callochromis , Ectodus , Xenotilapia ) living near the shore until they are about 8 cm long and adopt the way of life of their parents.
source
- Pierre Brichard: The Big Book of Tanganyika Cichlids. With all the other fish on Lake Tanganyika. Bede Verlag GmbH. 1995, ISBN 978-3927997943 , pages 278-279.
Web links
- Bathybates vittatus on Fishbase.org (English)