Haplochromis vonlinnei

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Haplochromis vonlinnei
Paratype of Haplochromis vonlinnei, a sexually mature female of 115 mm standard length.

Paratype of Haplochromis vonlinnei , a sexually mature female of 115 mm standard length .

Systematics
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Haplochromini
Genre : Haplochromis
Type : Haplochromis vonlinnei
Scientific name
Haplochromis vonlinnei
van Oijen & Zeeuw , 2008

Haplochromis vonlinnei is an extremely rare or already extinct species of cichlid from Lake Victoria . It is named after the founder of modern taxonomy , the Swedish naturalist Carl von Linné . In their introduction to the first description, the authors regret that of the original 26 fish species that were named after Linnaeus, only one is still considered valid today, while the rest have been synonymous with other species. With Haplochromis vonlinnei , Linnaeus was to be honored by a second valid species. The description of the species was based on five specimens thatwere caughtbetween 1978 and 1980 in the Gulf of Mwanza in the southern part of Lake Victoria. They are the only examples of the species known to date.

features

Haplochromis vonlinnei becomes a maximum of 15.9 cm long. Its body is moderately elongated, the upper head profile is gently rounded. The muzzle is relatively pointed, the teeth are strongly curved. The species shows a brownish-gray basic color, the gill cover and the upper body sides shimmer golden brown. In the middle of the flanks there is a distinct, dark longitudinal band that is wider in males than in females. Another dark longitudinal band lies directly below the dorsal fin.

Way of life

Haplochromis vonlinnei was only found in the Tanzanian part of Lake Victoria in the Gulf of Mwanza. Remains of smaller haplochromin cichlids were found in the intestines of the specimens examined, from which it is concluded that Haplochromis vonlinnei is a specialized fish eater.

Danger

The IUCN classifies Haplochromis vonlinnei as critically endangered ("critically endangered"), but admits that it may have become extinct ("possibly extinct"). The reason given for the threat or extinction is the introduction of the Nile perch ( Lates niloticus ), a large predatory fish, into the lake. The five specimens examined for the first description are the only specimens of the species ever found.

literature

  • MJP van Oijen & MP de Zeeuw (2008): Haplochromis vonlinnei spec. nov., a piscivorous haplochromine cichlid (Teleostei, Perciformes) from the Mwanza Gulf area of ​​Lake Victoria. Zoologische Mededelingen, 82 (17): 167-175. PDF

Web links

Commons : Haplochromis vonlinnei  - collection of images, videos and audio files