Rubricatochromis cerasogaster (Boulenger, 1899)
Rubricatochromis cerasogaster
photo by Hippocampus-Bildarchiv

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Max. size:  9 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: endemic to Lake Mai-Ndombe (=Lake Leopold II) in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 43352). One dubious specimen from Brazzaville (Ref. 5644).
Diagnosis:  Description: moderately deep-bodied; mouth relatively small; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307). Coloration: body mostly yellowish-brown, belly lighter than dorsum; some bluish worm-shaped lines and dots usually visible on cheeks and opercles; some rows of blue dots on body; dark spot on opercle normally surrounded by a reddish area; no black spots on flanks or caudal peduncle; dark vertical bars are present in some situations; dorsal fin with black markings (spots and/or dots) (Ref. 52307).
Biology:  Probably an open substratum spawner with well-defined pair-bonding (Ref. 52307).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 16 February 2009 (B1ab(v)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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