Telmatochromis

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Telmatochromis
Telmatochromis vittatus

Telmatochromis vittatus

Systematics
Ovalentaria
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Lamprologini
Genre : Telmatochromis
Scientific name
Telmatochromis
Boulenger , 1898

Telmatochromis ( Gr .: “Telma” = swamp, “Chromis” = old name for cichlids) is a genus from the family of cichlids (Cichlidae), which is endemic in Lake Tanganyika and lives there in the rocky and transition zone.

features

Telmatochromis species are 7.5 to 12 cm long, the females remain somewhat smaller. They differ from the closely related genera Julidochromis and Lamprologus in their dentition, the teeth on the outer row are conical, those on the inner rows more or less three-pointed. Characteristic is a high number of dorsal fin spines (18 to 22), the anal fin has three fin spines. The back, anal and pelvic fins end pointy, the caudal fin ends straight or is rounded.

Within the genus, species with a very elongated and species with a compact, somewhat higher back body can be distinguished. The first show one or two dark longitudinal bands on the sides of the body and a light band on the base of the dorsal fin. The members of the second group are not so elongated, are somewhat flattened on the sides and thus have an oval body cross-section. They generally show little markings and are brownish. Males of this group develop a large, beefy head with a bulging, protruding forehead in old age.

Way of life

Telmatochromis species live on the rocky coasts and in the transition zone between rocky biotopes and the sand zone and feed primarily on algae. They form territories that they defend vigorously against conspecifics. The eggs are laid in small, very narrow caves, narrow crevices or in snail shells. In some regions of the lake there are dwarf forms adapted to the size of the snail shells. Telmatochromis species form a parent or male-mother family .

species

Six species belong to the genus .

literature

  • Hans Joachim Richter: Zwergbuntbarsche Neumann Verlag, Leipzig, Radebeul, ISBN 3-7402-0028-6 .
  • Georg Zurlo: Telmatochromis. In: Claus Schaefer, Torsten Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , pp. 928-930.
  • Günther Sterba : The world's freshwater fish. 2nd Edition. Urania, Leipzig / Jena / Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4 .
  • Günther Sterba (Ed.), Gert Brückner: Encyclopedia of Aquaristics and Special Ichthyology. Neumann-Neudamm, Melsungen u. a. 1978, ISBN 3-7888-0252-9 .

Web links

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