| Family: |
Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| Max. size: |
20.4 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; freshwater; depth range 34 - 114 m |
| Distribution: |
Africa: south end of Lake Malawi (Ref. 5595, 5628). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 14-15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 10-11. Diagnosis: Relatively shallow body with flat dorsal profile; relatively large, upwardly-pointing mouth with strongly protruding lower jaw; large number of gill-rakers (Ref. 55949).
Description: Moderately elongated with fairly large teeth and predatory facies; eyes not particulary large; snout narrow and fairly concave in profile, with a prominent premaxillary pedicel; mental process moderate to prominent (Ref. 55949). Dorsal fin with 14-15 spines and 11-13 rays, spines slender, last 1/3 length of head; anal fin with 3 spines and 10-11 rays, third spine stronger and shorter than last dorsal; pectoral fin length 66-75% of head length, not reaching anal fin; caudal fin emarginate (Ref. 127501).
Colouration: Females and non-breeding males with silvery countershaded body, grey dorsally; snout dark; body with an overall silver sheen; fins generally grey, though pelvic fins may be white; males in breeding dress develop a darker head and dorsum, black eyes, snout and fins; anal fin with 1-2 large yellow eggspots (Ref. 55949). |
| Biology: |
Found in open water at mostly deep levels, where it can form enormous shoals (Ref. 5595). It is a piscivore that mainly feeds on lake sardine, Engraulicypris sardella (Ref. 5595). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 22 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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