Chilochromis duponti

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Chilochromis duponti
Chilochromis duponti.jpg

Chilochromis duponti

Systematics
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Tilapiini
Genre : Chilochromis
Type : Chilochromis duponti
Scientific name of the  genus
Chilochromis
Boulenger , 1902
Scientific name of the  species
Chilochromis duponti
Boulenger, 1902

Chilochromis duponti ( Gr .: “Cheilos” = lip + “chromis” = old name for cichlids) is an African cichlid species that lives in Lower Guinea in the Chiloango (Angolan province of Cabinda to the Democratic Republic of the Congo ), in the Kouilou-Niari , in the lower Loeme ( Republic of the Congo ) and in Nyanga , as well as in the upper Ngounié (river basin of the Ogooué ) in Gabon.

features

Chilochromis duponti can reach a length of 22 cm and is unmistakable among the cichlids of Lower Guinea with its protruding snout. The lower mouth contains several rows of very fine, spade-shaped teeth that form a comb-like structure. The upper lip is wide and thick with a distinctive lip fold, a feature that can only be found in Etia nguti . The intestine is extremely long (more than 14 times the standard length ) and fills the entire abdominal cavity. There is no tilapia spot in the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin. The tail stalk is short and high and is enclosed by 14 rows of scales. The gill rakes on the epibranchial (bone support of the upper branch of the gill arch) are reduced in number and size or completely absent. The tip of the pelvic fins (the first fin ray) rarely reaches the beginning of the anal fin (at most in sexually mature specimens). The fish are brownish to yellowish with gray or brown fins. On the sides of the body you can see a longitudinal band that is more or less pronounced, but can always be seen, as well as some faint vertical stripes.

Chilochromis duponti feeds mainly on plants, mainly on algae, but also on small insects. Like all tilapiini he is a substrate spawner .

Systematics

Genus and species were described in 1902 by the British ichthyologist George Albert Boulenger , and since then Chilochromis duponti has remained the only species of the genus monotypical . Specimens from Gabon, however, differ from those from the Congo region and may form a second previously undescribed species. They have fewer rows of teeth (5–6 compared to 8–9), fewer scales along the lateral line (28–29 (rarely 30)), more gill rake on the lower section of the first gill arch (14–17 compared to 14–15), while the vertical stripes are more pronounced, but the longitudinal ligament is less pronounced.

Danger

In the Red List of the IUCN of the status of the species is given as safely (Least Concern).

literature

  • Melanie Stiassny, Guy Teugels, Carl D. Hopkins: The Fresh and Brackish Water Fishes of Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa. Volume 2, Paris 2007, ISBN 978-90-74752-21-3 .

Web links