Protomelas

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Protomelas
Protomelas spilonotus

Protomelas spilonotus

Systematics
Ovalentaria
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Haplochromini
Genre : Protomelas
Scientific name
Protomelas
Eccles & Trewavas , 1989

Protomelas ( Gr . "Protos" = ur, first + "melas" = black) is a cichlid - genus , which is endemic in Malawi in East Africa occurs.

features

Protomelas is a relatively unspecialized genus that is only defined by its primeval ( plesiomorphic ) melanin pattern . It consists of two longitudinal stripes, the first and stronger one runs in the middle of the body, a second in the upper half of the body between the first longitudinal stripe and the base of the dorsal fin. This drawing pattern is already present in many underdeveloped haplochromine cichlids of the East African rivers and is regarded as the "original drawing pattern" of the East African haplochromines. The Protomelas belonging species are 11 to 20 cm long. They can be bluish, bluish-yellow or bluish-red in color.

Reproduction

Like almost all cichlids in Lake Malawi, the Protomelas species are agame mouthbrooders , i. H. only one sex, in this case the female, takes care of the mouthbrood. Spawning takes place in shallow sand troughs or on horizontally lying stones. After spawning, the 30 to 50 eggs are taken into the female's mouth. The fry leave the mouth after about 22 to 24 days and are then protected by the female for a few days.

Systematics

Protomelas taeniolatus

There are 16 types described:

literature

  • Andreas Spreinat: Lake Malawi cichlids from Tanzania. Dähne Verlag, 1994, ISBN 3-9261-4242-1 .
  • Erwin Schraml: Protomelas. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , p. 812 f.

Web links

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