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Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Pelvicachromis: Latin, pelvica, -ae = bassin + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 12. Tropical; 22°C - 25°C (Ref. 1672); 10°N - 0°N
Africa: from east Benin to Nigeria, restricted to freshwater parts of regions near the coast (Ref. 97630), including the Niger delta (Ref. 53405). Reports from Cameroon and Bioko (Ref. 81260) belong to Pelvicachromis kribensis (Ref. 97630).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81260)
Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. Diagnosis: A moderately gracile species, with rounded head and well-developed sexual dimorphism and dichromatism (Ref. 97630). It differs from all congeners by a coloration in male caudal fin with a white to yellow upper half of this fin, having a number of black dots in the dorsal half, without any margin, and a black margin with a white to pale bluish submargin in the lower half of this fin, vs. no margin/submargin in lower half of this fin in all congeners with exception of Pelvicachromis drachenfelsi and a white margin and black submargin in upper half of caudal fin in P. drachenfelsi (Ref. 97630). Females differ from females of P. drachenfelsi and P. kribensis in having two or three horizontal dark bars in the caudal fin, vs. none in P. drachenfelsi and one in some populations of P. kribensis (Ref. 97630). It differs from P. drachenfelsi in a caudal peduncle shorter then deep, vs. usually longer then deep; it differs from P. humilis, P. rubrolabiatus and P. signatus in absence of seven-eight dark, vertical bars on bodyand in three tubular infraorbital bones vs. two; it differs from P. silviae in lesser body depth, 29.9-36.4% of standard length vs. 37.4-43.0%, shorter preanal distance, 62.8-66.7% of standard length vs. 66.2-69.8%, shorter prepelvic distance, 36.0-37.5% of standard length vs. 36.9-39.8%, and more spines in dorsal fin, 17-18 vs. 14-16; it differs from P. subocellatus in lesser body depth in males in lappet-like elongation of some rays of caudal fin vs. no such elongation; it differs from P. roloffi in greater caudal peduncle length, 12.4-14.1% of standard length vs. 9.4-12.2%, and more pored scales of lateral-line, 26-28 vs. 24-26; it differs from P. sacrimontis in shorter interorbital distance, 21.4-26.8% of head length vs. 29.4-45.3%; it differs from P. pulcher in shorter preorbital distance, 18.6-21.2% of head length vs. 21.0-33.8%, and in rows of dots in the central field and lower part of the male caudal fin, vs. absence (Ref. 97630).
Cave-spawning, substrate brooder (Ref. 81260). Aquarium keeping: in pairs; minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Spawns in caves. Eggs may be deposited in niches and crevices as well as below roots, pieces of bark and larger leaves (Ref. 89992).
Daget, J., 1991. Pelvicachromis. p. 363-366. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5677)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00674 - 0.03099), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm<1).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
