Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Nimbochromis: Latin, nimbus = stormy, rainy + Greek, chromis, a fish, perhaps a perch; it has dark clouded melanic blotches on the body (Ref. 45335); linni: Named in honour of Dr. Wayne Linn, a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer working with the Malawi Fisheries Department (Ref. 55922).
Eponymy: Dr DeVon Wayne Linn was Chief Fisheries Officer, Malawi (1973–1975) while serving in the US Peace Corps. He was honoured as his assistance to the junior author made Axelrod’s field trip to Lake Malawi possible. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 7.0 - 8.5; dH range: 10 - 15; depth range 2 - 61 m (Ref. 55463). Tropical; 23°C - 25°C (Ref. 1672); 9°S - 15°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Endemic and of widespread occurrence in Lake Malawi.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4989)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Diagnosis: shallow head with downward-directed snout and subterminal mouth; long premaxillary pedicel, >36% head length; spots on pectoral fins, and speckles on head and body present (Ref. 55922).

Inhabits the rocky (Ref. 5595, 55922) and intermediate habitats (Ref. 55922). Piscivorous; observed ambushing fish prey (Ref. 5595, 55922).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Female takes brood into her mouth and takes care of the young.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Maréchal, C., 1991. Nimbochromis. p. 296-299. 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. 4989)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 20 June 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Trophic ecology
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Anatomy
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Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5312 [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): 4.2 ±0.73 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec<1000).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (15 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Nimbochromis linni (Burgess & Axelrod, 1975)