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Dorsal spines (total): 14-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-9; Vertebrae: 27-29. Diagnosis: Lufubuchromis relictus differs from Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor by having more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 13; from Ps. nicholsi by having more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 13, more total vertebrae, 27-29 vs. 25-26, and more dorsal fin spines, 15-16 vs. 13-14; and from Ps. pyrrhocaudalis by having more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 12-13 (Ref. 122072). It is distinguished from Ps. philander philander by more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 12-13; from Ps. philander dispersus and from several other Pseudocrenilabrus species of yet undefined taxonomic status by having more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 13; in addition Lufubuchromis relictus has more dorsal fin spines than Ps. philander dispersus, 15-16 vs. 13-14, and from the putatively new species Pseudocrenilabrus sp. "Upper Kalungwishi" it is distinguished by having more total vertebrae, 27-29 vs. 26 (Ref. 122072). From Orthochromis machadoi it is distinguished by having comparatively large scales on the chest vs. a partially scaleless chest, with only deeply embedded and minute scales; furthermore, Lufubuchromis relictus tends to have more abdominal vertebrae, 14-15 vs. 13-14 and fewer caudal vertebrae, 13-15 vs. 15-16 (Ref. 122072). Lufubuchromis relictus is distinguished from the northern Zambia Orthochromis by having a large orange Pseudocrenilabrus blotch at the distal end of the anal fin vs. absent, and by having comparatively large scales on belly and chest vs. small to minute scales, if present deeply embedded on chest; further, Lufubuchromis relictus is distinguished from the northern Zambian Orthochromis by having fewer caudal vertebrae, 13-15 vs. 16-18, and fewer total vertebrae, 27-29 vs. 30-33 (Ref. 122072). Apart from colouration and its smaller maximum size Lufubuchromis relictus is distinguished from Palaeoplex palimpsest by its shorter dorsal fin spines, length of last dorsal fin spine 10.9-14.2% of standard length vs. 14.7-18.6%, and by having lower total gill raker counts, 10-12 vs. 12-17 (Ref. 122072).
Description: A comparatively deep bodied species, body depth 29.9-34.7% of standard length, with maximum body depth slightly before pelvic fin origin, decreasing gently towards caudal peduncle; ratio caudal peduncle length to depth 1.3-1.6; head length about one third of standard length (Ref. 122072). Head profile moderately curved, without prominent nuchal gibbosity; jaws isognathous to slightly retrognathous; posterior tip of maxilla reaching slightly behind anterior orbit margin; lips not noticeably enlarged or thickened (Ref. 122072). Anterior teeth of outer row of lower and upper jaw subequally bicuspid to equilaterally bicuspid, closely set; teeth slightly smaller and more widely set towards corner of mouth, and becoming unicuspid; individual bicuspid teeth are recurved and with slightly brownish crown; cusps minimally compressed and moderately wide cusp gap, with tips blunt to pointed; neck moderately stout; outer row of upper jaw with 25-53 teeth and outer row of lower jaw with 14-48 teeth; one to three inner upper and lower jaw tooth rows with small tricuspid teeth (Ref. 122072). Lower pharyngeal bone slightly wider than long with width of lower pharyngeal-jaw bone 90-117% of pharyngeal-jaw length; dentigerous area of lower pharyngeal-jaw bone about 0.6-0.7 times the length of lower pharyngeal bone, with 19-22 teeth along posterior margin of dentigerous area and 6-10 teeth along the sagittal series; lateral anterior pharyngeal teeth towards keel bevelled to hooked and moderately slender, those of posterior row larger than anterior ones and bevelled with the minor cusp not well developed; largest teeth located central in posterior tooth row; teeth along sagittal series slightly larger than more lateral ones (Ref. 122072). Total gill raker count 10-12 with 2-3 epibranchials, one at angle, and 7-8 ceratobranchial rakers; anteriormost ceratobranchial gill rakers smallest; gill rakers comparatively stout and unifid, sometimes of anvil or bifid shape towards cartilaginous plug, increasing in size towards cartilaginous plug at angle; gill raker on cartilaginous plug slightly shorter or as long as longest ceratobranchial gill raker; unifid epibranchial gill rakers further decreasing in length towards cartilaginous plug and slenderer than ceratobranchial gill rakers (Ref. 122072). Dorsal fin with 14-16 spines and with 9-11 rays; first dorsal-fin spine shortest; dorsal-fin base length between 39.5-55.3% of standard length; posterior end of dorsal fin reaching caudal-fin base or ending slightly behind, especially in males; posterior tip of anal fin reaching caudal-fin base or ending slightly before; caudal fin outline subtruncate and sometimes or almost slightly emarginate and composed of 26-28 rays, 16 principal caudal-fin rays and 10-12 procurrent caudal-fin rays; anal fin with 3 spines, 3rd spine longest, and 7-8, rarely 9, rays; anal-fin base length 14.5-17.9% of standard length; pectoral fin with 13-14 rays; pectoral-fin length 15.7-26.6% of standard length; longest pectoral ray, 4th or 5th ray counted from dorsal margin, ending slightly before or at level of anus; pelvic fin with one spine and 5 rays; pelvic-fin base slightly posterior pectoral-fin base, at a distance of approximately twice the flank scale width; longest pelvic-fin ray reaching level of anus; adult males with slightly elongated 1st pelvic fin ray (Ref. 122072). Two separate lateral lines; flank covered with comparatively large ctenoid or, especially in larger individuals, cycloid scales; anterior dorsal flank covered by cycloid scales, ventral flank scales ctenoid to cycloid; belly with medium sized cycloid to weakly ctenoid scales, approximately half the size of flank scales; cycloid chest scales smaller than those of belly; chest to flank transition with slightly larger cycloid scales; snout scaleless; medium sized interorbital scales cycloid, anteriormost ones partly embedded; nape and occipital region with slightly smaller cycloid scales in comparison to flank scales; cheek covered with small to medium sized cycloid scales; 3-5 scale rows on cheek; operculum covered with cycloid scales of variable size, from small to about the size of flank scales; opercular blotch squamated to variable extent; posteriormost margin always scaleless; three to four scales on horizontal line from anterior edge operculum to posterodorsal margin operculum; upper lateral line with 18-22 scales, lower lateral line 9-12 scales and horizontal line with 26-30 scales; upper and lower lateral lines separated by two scales; five to eight scales between dorsal-fin origin and upper lateral line; two scales, rarely 3, between origin of last dorsal-fin spine and upper lateral line; anterior part of caudal fin covered with 3-4 ill-defined vertical columns of small cycloid scales including 0-2 pored scales; scaled area extended posteriorly, with minute, interradial scales covering approximately 25-40% of caudal fin; 16 scales around caudal peduncle (Ref. 122072). Vertebrae column with 27-29 total vertebrae, excluding the urostyle, with 14-15 abdominal and 13-15 caudal vertebrae; the pterygiophore supporting the last dorsal-fin spine is inserted between the spines of the 13th and 14th vertebra, or of the 14th and 15th vertebra; the pterygiophore supporting the last anal-fin spine is inserted between ribs or haemal spines of the 14th, 15th or 16th vertebrae; one predorsal bone present; hypuralia 1+2 are either fused without a suture or, rarely, with clearly visible suture; hypuralia 3+4 always fused into single sutureless unit (Ref. 122072).
Colouration: In life, sexual colour dimorphism present; males with characteristic colouration pattern of deep crimson red coloured areas on the anterior ventral flank parts, chest and belly and on the lower head; remaining parts of flank and caudal peduncle bluish (Ref. 122072). In life: body ground colouration greyish olive to pale brown; dorsum olive to pale brownish, flank and caudal peduncle bluish; individual flank and caudal peduncle scales on the anterior part of the caudal scale area reddish to brownish/olive; posterior scale area metallic blue; anterior ventral flank, belly, and chest deep red; ventral flank whitish; no visible midlateral band present, but 5-8 greyish vertical bars, mostly faint; vertical bars extending from dorsal fin origin to roughly the level of pectoral fin, sometimes irregular in shape, I.E. interrupted or almost blotch-like; caudal-fin spot present; iris brownish with some light brown to orange patches; dorsal head surface and ethmoidal area olive to pale brownish; preorbital area, anterior snout, cheek and preoperculum below level of eye deep crimson red; operculum olive to pale brownish ventral part deep crimson red; blackish opercular spot with golden to greenish metallic gleam; faint greyish lachrymal stripe present; upper lip metallic blue, especially posteriorly, and lower lip whitish to intensive metallic blue, more than upper lip; branchiostegal membrane white to light grey; dorsal fin membrane olive to brownish; dorsal fin lappets orange, same color as Pseudocrenilabrus blotch in anal fin; dorsal fin lappets delineated by fine whitish submarginal band in spinous part dorsal fin, sometimes extending into soft-rayed part of dorsal; last dorsal fin rays without orange lappets; soft-rayed part dorsal-fin membrane with irregularly set white to bluish maculae; sometimes few maculae present on spinous part as well; anal-fin membrane olive to yellowish with irregularly set white to bluish maculae, more prominent than those on dorsal fin; prominent orange Pseudocrenilabrus blotch on posterior margin of soft-rayed anal fin, distal margin Pseudocrenilabrus blotch outlined in black; caudal-fin membrane olive to yellowish, becoming less intensively coloured towards posterior margin, with irregularly set vertical columns of white to bluish maculae, more prominent than those on dorsal fin; distal margin caudal fin reddish; pectoral fin transparent or slightly yellowish; soft-rayed part pelvic fin light yellowish to greyish, membrane of pelvic fin spine grey to bluish (Ref. 122072). Females not as brightly coloured as males and without prominent red areas on flank, chest, belly, and head; body ground colouration greyish olive to pale brown; flank and caudal peduncle without bluish metallic gleam, or, if present, less intensive than in males; belly and chest region beige to whitish; no visible midlateral band present; 6 to 8 greyish to brownish vertical bars, in most cases clearly visible; vertical bars extending from dorsal fin origin to roughly midlevel of pectoral fin, sometimes of irregular shape, e.g. interrupted, blurred or almost blotch like; caudal fin spot present; iris brownish with some light brown to orange patches; blackish opercular spot with golden to greenish metallic gleam, less intensive than in males; faint greyish lachrymal stripe present; upper lip and lower lip whitish to metallic blue, less intensive than in males; branchiostegal membrane white to light greyish; dorsal fin, anal fin, and caudal-fin membrane similar to males, however, without prominent maculae; anal fin with orange Pseudocrenilabrus blotch as in males; pectoral fin and pelvic fin transparent or light yellowish to greyish (Ref. 122072). Juvenile colouration in life: body ground colouration whitish to beige; greyish melanin pattern on flank consisting of irregular blotches and vertical bars; up to six blackish stripe-like blotches along dorsal fin base present, forming an interrupted dorsal medial band; faint grey lachrymal stripe; iris greyish; dorsal fin hyaline with few white to bluish spots, all other fins hyaline, no Pseudocrenilabrus blotch on anal fin; tip of anal-fin membrane light orange in juveniles over 20 mm standard length (Ref. 122072). Colouration in alcohol: pigmentation and melanin patterns similar to live specimens, but due to preservation original colouration lost, rendering melanin pattern more intense than in live specimens; overall body colouration brownish; chest and belly brownish, particularly in males, to beige; branchiostegal membrane dusky, especially in males, to light greyish; ethmoidal area and lips greyish brown; cheek light brownish; cheek stripe dark brown; operculum greyish to brownish; opercular spot dark brown; vertical bars and caudal fin base dark brown; the anterior three to four vertical bars might be connected at the level of the horizontal line; dorsal fin greyish, dorsal fin lappets transparent to whitish; anal fin light greyish to grey; Pseudocrenilabrus blotch in males whitish, not visible in females; caudal fin grey brownish; pectoral fin beige to light grey; pelvic fin dusky in males and beige to greyish in females (Ref. 122072). |
