Tylochromis
| Tylochromis | ||||||||||||
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Tylochromis jentinki , the type species of the genus |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the tribe | ||||||||||||
| Tylochromini | ||||||||||||
| Hoedeman , 1947 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Tylochromis | ||||||||||||
| Regan , 1920 |
Tylochromis ( Gr .: "Tylos" = cornea + "chromis" = old name for cichlids) is a genus from the family of cichlids , which occurs in rivers, lakes and lagoons from Senegal to Cameroon , as well as in the Congo basin.
features
Tylochromis species are 13 to over 40 cm long, all look quite similar and in their outer shape are reminiscent of the unrelated sea bream (Sparidae). Features by which the genus can be diagnosed primarily concern the skeleton and muscles of the head. In addition, they are the only cichlids in which the lower branch of the sideline extends much further forward than the upper and divides into three on the caudal fin. The first of the three anal spines is extremely short, the following two are equally long.
All species show a distinct sexual dimorphism . Sexually mature females have a bright red spot on the lower sides of the head, sexually mature males have a black striped caudal fin. In the males of most Tylochromis species, the teeth of the outer row of teeth are enlarged.
Way of life
Tylochromis species feed on bottom -dwelling invertebrates and are therefore the ecological counterpart of the genera Geophagus in South America, Ptychochromis in Madagascar and Lethrinops in Lake Malawi . They live in the open water of larger rivers and lakes, some species also streams, in flooded forests and in rapids. Probably all Tylochromis TYPES mouthbrooders in females. No further details on reproductive biology are known.
Systematics
Tylochromis is the basal sister genus of all other African cichlids (with the exception of Heterochromis ).
There are currently 18 species of Tylochromis listed .
- Tylochromis aristoma Stiassny , 1989
- Tylochromis bangwelensis Regan , 1920
- Tylochromis elongatus Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis intermedius ( Boulenger , 1916)
- Tylochromis jentinki ( Steindachner , 1894)
- Tylochromis labrodon Regan, 1920
- Tylochromis lateralis (Boulenger, 1898)
- Tylochromis leonensis Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis microdon Regan, 1920
- Tylochromis mylodon Regan, 1920
- Tylochromis polylepis (Boulenger, 1900)
- Tylochromis praecox Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis pulcher Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis regani Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis robertsi Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis sudanensis Daget , 1954
- Tylochromis trewavasae Stiassny, 1989
- Tylochromis variabilis Stiassny, 1989
literature
- Melanie LJ Stiassny: Tylochromis. Relationships and the Phylogenetic Status of the African Cichlidae. In: American Museum Novltates. Number 2993, December 27, 1990.
- Melanie Stiassny, Guy Teugels, Carl D. Hopkins: The Fresh and Brackish Water Fishes of Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa. Volume 2, Paris 2007, ISBN 978-90-74752-21-3 .
Web links
- Tylochromis on Fishbase.org (English)