Labeotropheus chlorosiglos
| Labeotropheus chlorosiglos | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Labeotropheus chlorosiglos | ||||||||||||
| Pauers , 2016 |
Labeotropheus chlorosiglos is a species of cichlid that is endemic to the East African Lake Malawi . The species may even be restricted to the area around Katale Island near Chilumba on the Malawian seaside.
features
The fish species can reach a standard length of 11.5 cm and has the typically elongated body of all Labeotropheus species and the subordinate mouth that is characteristic of this genus. The body height is between 31.9 and 34.7% of the standard length and thus between the body heights of Labeotropheus fuelleborni (35.1 - 41.6%) and Labeotropheus trewavasae (26.3 - 33.3%). The jaws are covered with five to seven rows of teeth. On the first gill arch there are 8 to 10 strong, triangular gill rakes on the ceratobranchial, 2 on the epibranchial and one between these gill arch elements.
- Fins formula : dorsal XVII – XIX / 8–9, anal III / 7–8, pectoral 13–15, ventral 6.
Males have a dark blue basic color and a yellow-orange lower half of the body. In dominant, territorial males, the yellow-orange section becomes larger. Depending on the mood, eleven barely visible transverse ligaments can appear on the sides of the body. They are most noticeable in subordinate or fearful males. The head is the same blue color as the upper half of the body and becomes increasingly darker towards the mouth. There are two dark interorbital stripes between the eyes. The gill covers are blue. The species epithet chlorosiglos ( size : chloros = green + siglos = earring) refers to a metallic-green spot there . The dorsal fin is blue in front and becomes increasingly blue-white and yellow at the extreme end towards the rear. The anal fin is whitish or blue-white and has 7 to 15 egg spots. The pectoral fins are transparent, their fin rays are gray, the pelvic fins are whitish, gray to orange-red, the first fin ray is white.
The females are solid gray to golden-brown. The scales on the lower half of the body can be drawn yellow-orange. The eleven transverse ligaments on the sides of the body are only visible during certain activities. The head is gray-brown and becomes darker and darker towards the front. The interorbital stripes are gray-brown with some iridescent spots. The gray-brown gill covers also have the eponymous metallic-green spot. The dorsal fin is gray-black in front and becomes increasingly blue-gray towards the rear and darker towards the end. The anal fin is dark gray. Some females have one to four egg spots. The pectoral fins are transparent, their rays are gray, the pelvic fins are whitish, gray to yellow-orange, the first ray is white. Orange-dark piebald OB morphs are known from both sexes.
Like all haplochromine cichlids, Labeotropheus chlorosiglos is an ovophilic mouthbrooder in which the female takes care of the brood.
literature
- Pauers, MJ (2016): Two New and Remarkably Similarly Colored Species of Labeotropheus (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Malaŵi, Africa. Copeia , 104 (3): 628-638. doi: /10.1643/CI-15-360
