Benthochromis tricoti
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Benthochromis tricoti , male |
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| Benthochromis tricoti | ||||||||||||
| ( Poll , 1948) |
Benthochromis tricoti ( synonym : Haplotaxodon tricoti ) is an endemic cichlid foundin Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.
description
With its slender, elongated body, Benthochromis tricoti is similar to the closely related Kärpfling cichlids (Cyprichromini), but with a length of 16.5 to 20 cm it is significantly larger. The pointed section of the dorsal fin is low. The eye is big. Its diameter is greater than the length of the snout or it is the same length (101–129%). The mouth is pointed, very flexible and can be pushed forward. Males are dark gray-brown in color and show three light blue longitudinal bands on the sides of the body. The lower head region and the anal fin are yellow. The pelvic fins are blackish and very long. The caudal fin is dark gray and patterned with two narrow, light blue transverse bands. The top and bottom of the caudal fin are elongated into a long thread. Females are monochrome gray-brown to silvery, do not show a striped pattern on their bodies or on their fins and they also have no thread-like extensions on the fins.
- Fin formula : Dorsal XVI – XVIII / 11–12; Anal III / 9-11.
Way of life
Benthochromis tricoti lives in the open water on the rocky coast of Lake Tanganyika. The fish are mainly found on vertical rock faces and are found there at depths of 50, sometimes even 30 meters, to 150 meters. They feed on zooplankton, especially copepods (copepods) and other small crustaceans. Benthochromis tricoti is a maternal mouthbrooder and after spawning, the female takes care of spawning, larvae and fry alone.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Horst Linke, Wolfgang Staeck: African cichlids, cichlids from East Africa. P. 54, Tetra Verlag, 1981, ISBN 3-8974-5103-4 , p. 33 and 34.
- ↑ a b Benthochromis tricoti on Fishbase.org (English)