Sargochromis giardi
| Sargochromis giardi | ||||||||||||
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Sargochromis giardi |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sargochromis giardi | ||||||||||||
| ( Pellegrin , 1903) |
Sargochromis giardi is a very large cichlid that occurs in southern Africa (Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in the Kunene , Okavango River, the upper and middle Zambezi , in the Kafue and in the Kariba reservoir .
features
Sargochromis giardi has a high-backed, strong body and a large head with a convex profile. The largest specimen measured so far, a male from floodplains on the upper Zambezi, was 48 cm long, the heaviest weighed 2.9 kg. The gap in the mouth is inclined, the thick, conical teeth are in two rows. The pharyngeal bones are strong, the pharyngeal teeth large and molar-shaped . Young fish are olive green in color, with a yellow breast, 6 to 7 dark vertical stripes on the sides of the body and dark, greenish-black fins. Adult fish have a gray-green head and back and cream-colored sides. The fins are dark gray with red edges and dark red spots. The anal fin shows light yellow egg spots with an orange center.
- Fin formula : Dorsal XIV-XVI / 12-15; Anal III / 9-11.
- Scale formula : SL 29–34.
Way of life
Sargochromis giardi lives in rivers and lakes and prefers deeper stretches of water there with a sandy bottom. It feeds mainly on snails, mussels and insect larvae. Like all Haplochromini, Sargochromis giardi is a mouthbrooder . It reproduces in early summer. For mating, an area measuring 20 to 30 cm in diameter is cleared of vegetation. The female takes care of the mouthbrood. The fish reproduce for the first time at an age of 2 to 3 years and a body length of 15 to 18 cm ( Liambezi Lake ) or 22.5 to 30 cm (Upper Zambezi). Sargochromis giardi is 6 to 7 years old.
Systematics
Sargochromis giardi was described as Tilapia giardi by the French ichthyologist Jacques Pellegrin in 1903 and was later assigned to the genus Sargochromis . In general, this genus is placed in the Haplochromini tribe , but some scientists place the haplochromine genera of southern Africa in the Serranochromini tribe.
literature
- Paul Harvey Skelton: A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa . Struik Publishers, 2001, ISBN 1-8687-2643-6
Web links
- Sargochromis giardi on Fishbase.org (English)