Psuedotropheus sp.

African lake cichlid

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Type Locality

Etymology/Derivation of Scientific Name

Synonymy

Characters

Ribbink et al (1982) described many different species of the genus Psuedotropheus from Lake Malawi in Africa.

Maximum size:  Depending upon the species, from about 5-18 cm (Axelrod 1993).

Coloration:

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Counts:

Body shape:  

Mouth position:

External morphology:

Distribution (Native and Introduced)

U.S. distribution:

Texas distribution:

Abundance/Conservation status (Federal, State, NGO)

Habitat Associations

Macrohabitat:

Mesohabitat:

Biology

Spawning season:

Spawning location:

Reproductive strategy:

Fecundity:

Age at maturation: 

Migration: 

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Food habits: 

Growth:

Phylogeny and morphologically similar fishes

Probably the greatest taxonomic problems among extant vertebrates are those posed by the African Cichlidae. Now only are innumerable species undescribed, but within each species-flock many closely related species are so similar that they are extremely difficult to distinguish from one another (Ribbink et al. 1982). The genus Psuedotropheus contains approximately 200 species (Axelrod 1993). Several large species complexes exist and the genus is in great need of systematic revision (Ribbink et al. 1983; Eccles and Trewavas 1989).

Host Records

Commercial or Environmental Importance

References

Ribbink, A. J., B. A. Marsh, A. C. Marsh, A. C. Ribbink and B. J. Sharp. 1983. A preliminary survey of the cichlid fishes of rocky habitats in Lake Malawi. South African Journal of Zoology. 18(3):149-308.

Axelrod, H. R. 1993. The most complete colored lexicon of cichlids. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey.

Eccles, D. H., and E. Trewavas. 1989. Malawian cichlid fishes: the classification of some haplochromine genera. Lake Fish Movies, Herten, Germany.