Stigmatochromis

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Stigmatochromis
Young fish of Stigmatochromis woodi, the type species

Young fish of Stigmatochromis woodi , the type species

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

Stigmatochromis ( Gr . "Stigma" = spot; + Chromis , a genus of damselfish in the formerly tilapias were incorporated) is a cichlid - genus , which is endemic in Malawi in East Africa occurs.

features

Stigmatochromis species are 9 to 25 cm long and, as predatory fish, have an elongated, laterally strongly flattened body and a deeply cut mouth at the end. The lower jaw protrudes slightly. The genus is characterized by three dark spots on the sides of the body, the first under the front, overhead part of the lateral line , the second between both parts of the lateral line and the third on the tail fin stalk. However, a similar three-spot pattern also occurs in the genus Otopharynx , which is also endemic to Lake Malawi.

Stigmatochromis types can be bluish, bluish-yellow in color or have a silvery shimmer.

Reproduction

Like almost all cichlids in Lake Malawi, the Stigmatochromis species are agame mouthbrooders , i. H. only one sex, in this case the female, takes care of the mouthbrood.

Systematics

There are six types described:

It is uncertain whether Stigmatochromis pleurospilus is really a valid species. The type specimen and only known individual of Stigmatochromis pleurospilus is a 4 cm long juvenile fish from the northern part of Lake Malawi.

literature

  • Andreas Spreinat: Lake Malawi cichlids from Tanzania. Dähne Verlag, 1994, ISBN 3-9261-4242-1 .
  • Erwin Schraml: Stigmatochromis. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , pp. 904 f.

Web links

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