Oreochromis squamipinnis
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A male Oreochromis squamipinnis with clearly visible genital appendages in the Berlin Aquarium |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Oreochromis squamipinnis | ||||||||||||
| ( Günther , 1864) |
Oreochromis squamipinnis is a species of fish from the family of cichlids (Cichlidae) that occurs in the East African Lake Malawi and its immediate surroundings, including the upper Shire and the crater lakes Kingiri , Ilamba and Massoko .
features
Oreochromis squamipinnis is a large species of cichlid and reaches a maximum standard length of 36 cm. The head length is about 36% of the standard length. Dwarf forms of hunger live in the crater lakes. Dominant males are bright blue in color, often with whitish or green markings on the head. In older males, the lower half of the body can become almost black, the upper half of the body is then whitish or light blue. Males who have no territory, females and fry are gray with six or more vertical stripes on the sides of the body. They cannot be distinguished from Oreochromis karongae . The genital appendages of the males are pink or light yellow and can be long and branched.
- Fins formula : dorsal XVI – XVII / 10–11, anal III / 8–10.
Way of life
Oreochromis squamipinnis is a semi-pelagic species that occurs in shallow water in all areas of the lake. The species is particularly common in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi, where it lives in shallow bays overgrown with plants. Oreochromis squamipinnis feeds mainly on phytoplankton and occasionally also takes up sediment and sand from the lake floor. Diatoms are the most important part of the diet. The fish reproduce from December to February. Like all Oreochromis species, Oreochromis squamipinnis is a mouth brooder and the female takes the fertilized eggs in her mouth and carries them around with her. Young fish are also protected in their mouths until they have reached a size of around 15 mm.
Oreochromis squamipinnis is heavily fished and the IUCN has assessed the stock as critically endangered.
Systematics
The species was first described scientifically in 1864 by the German zoologist Albert Günther under the name Chromis squamipinnis . Later it was placed in the genus Tilapia and today it belongs to Oreochromis and there to the so-called "flagellum tilapia " (subgenus Nyasalapia ), the males of which have specially shaped appendages on the genital papilla . The trait may have developed independently of each other several times and the subgenus Nyasalapia would then not be monophyletic .
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f Oreochromis squamipinnis on Fishbase.org (English)
- ↑ a b Ethelwynn Trewavas (1983). Tilapiine fishes of the genera Sarotherodon , Oreochromis , and Danakilia /. London: British Museum (Natural History). doi: 10.5962 / bhl.title.123198 , page 467.
- ↑ Oreochromis squamipinnis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2018 Posted by: Phiri, B & Kanyerere, Z, 2018. Accessed August 15 of 2019.
- ↑ Oreochromis squamipinnis in the Catalog of Fishes (English)
- ↑ Ford, AGP, Bullen, TR, Pang, L., Genner, MJ, Bills, R., Flouri, T., Ngatunga, BP, Rüber, L., Schliewen, UK, Seehausen, O., Shechonge, A. , Stiassny, MLJ, Turner, GF & Day, JJ (2019): Molecular phylogeny of Oreochromis (Cichlidae: Oreochromini) reveals mito-nuclear discordance and multiple colonization of adverse aquatic environments . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, April 2019, doi: 10.1016 / j.ympev.2019.04.008