Pelvicachromis

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Pelvicachromis
Pelvicachromis taeniatus

Pelvicachromis taeniatus

Systematics
Ovalentaria
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Chromidotilapiini
Genre : Pelvicachromis
Scientific name
Pelvicachromis
Thys van den Audenaerde , 1968

Pelvicachromis is a genus of smaller cichlids (cichlids) in West and Central Africa.

The genus was established in 1968 by the Belgian zoologist Thys van den Audenaerde as a sub-genus of Pelmatochromis , but later elevated to the rank of an independent genus. Eight species are known, some of which are kept as ornamental fish.

features

Pelvicachromis pulcher , above a female, below a male

The species of this genus are seven to twelve centimeters long, are usually relatively attractively colored and extremely variable. They often form a number of different colored local forms (location variants). Common to all species is the characteristic sexual dimorphism in the development of the dorsal and anal areas , which are pointed in the male, but rounded in the female. In addition, the males are slightly larger, have longer soft rays in the dorsal and anal fins as well as in the pelvic fins than the females and are often more colorful. The abdominal region of spawning females is strikingly red or purple in color.

Way of life

Pelvicachromis species inhabit slow-flowing, clear, and oxygen-rich waters in forested areas. The distribution area is in the coastal area of ​​West Africa and only extends up to 150 km inland. Young fish and adult animals without a partner live in small groups, pairs form territories that have an area of ​​about 1 to 2 m². In the wild, fish feed primarily on algae, such as diatoms , and detritus . Animal food such as insect larvae or the eggs of small crustaceans are of less importance.

Reproduction

Pelvicachromis species are monogamous , territory-forming cave breeders . In contrast to most other cichlids, the female takes a more active role than the male during courtship. The clutches glued to the ceiling, or more rarely to the walls, of the shelter have a size of 70 to 300 eggs, depending on the species. The size of the white-gray to light brown eggs varies between 1.3 and 1.8 millimeters. After laying the eggs, the female remains with the clutch, while the male takes over the defense of the territory. The larvae hatch after three to four days and can swim freely after another four to five days. The free-swimming juvenile fish are led through the area by both parents. During rearing, the offspring are vehemently defended and the parents react extremely aggressively to territorial violations.

Pelvicachromis reach sexual maturity at four to six months of age.

Pelvicachromis sacrimontis , female
Pelvicachromis drachenfelsi , female

species

Three other species, which were included in the genus Pelvicachromis , differ morphologically and in color from the current members of the genus. They become larger, the males about twelve centimeters long, are slimmer and more elongated, have a more pointed, more subordinate mouth and show seven or eight vertical bands on the sides of the body in most moods. In addition, they differ from Pelvicachromis in details of the skull morphology . These cichlids are found only in a small area in Guinea and Liberia. The genus Wallaceochromis was introduced for the three species in mid-2016 . It is a matter of:

Aquaristics

Most species are relatively easy to care for. They are very peaceful towards fish from other species (except when defending the brood), but are also aggressive within their own species. Except in very large aquariums, only one pair should be kept together. In any case, hiding places (caves) should be available for the fish.

literature

  • Anton Lamboj : Pelvicachromis Thys, 1968. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , pp. 757-750.
  • Günther Sterba : Freshwater fish of the world , Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 1998, ISBN 3-89350-991-7 .
  • Wolfgang Kochsiek: Pelvicachromis jewels from West Africa in Aquaristik aktuell , Dähne Verlag 03/2005, ISSN  0947-6512 .
  • Anton Lamboj: West African dwarf cichlids , bede Verlag, Ruhrmannsfelden 1999, ISBN 3-931792-06-4 .
  • Horst Linke, Wolfgang Staek: African cichlids I, cichlids from West Africa. Tetra-Verlag, Bissendorf 1997, ISBN 3-89356-151-X .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ DFE Thys van den Audenaerde (1968): A preliminary contribution to a systematic revision of the genus Pelmatochromis Hubrecht sensu lato (Pisces, Cichlidae). Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines Volume 77 (pts 3-4): 349-391.
  2. ^ PH Greenwood (1987): The genera of pelmatochromine fishes (Teleostei, Cichlidae) . A phylogenetic review. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology, Volume 53 (no.3): 139-203.
  3. ↑ a b Anton Lamboj: The cichlids of western Africa. Pages 176 and 177, Verlag: Natur und Tier, 2006, ISBN 386-659000-8
  4. ↑ Lamboj, A., Trummer, F. & Metscher, BD (2016): Wallaceochromis gen. Nov, a new chromidotilapiine cichlid genus (Pisces: Perciformes) from West Africa. Zootaxa , 4144 (1): 124-130. doi: 10.11646 / zootaxa.4144.1.8
  5. ↑ Julia Schwarzer, Anton Lamboj, Kathrin Langen, Bernhard Misof, Ulrich K. Schliewen: Phylogeny and age of chromidotilapiine cichlids (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Hydrobiologia, April 2015, Volume 748, Issue 1, Pages 185-199, DOI: 10.1007 / s10750-014-1918-1

Web links

Commons : Pelvicachromis  - collection of images, videos and audio files