Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Rhamphochromis: Greek, rhamphos = bill, peak + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Boulenger.
Issue
Quote Turner et al. (Ref. 55949): "We consider that both R. leptosoma and R. melanotus are probably junior synonyms of R. esox. If this is accepted, R. esox can be considered the most distinctive and readily identified species of the genus."
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 7.4 - 8.5; dH range: 5 - 30; depth range 2 - 65 m (Ref. 55949). Tropical; 23°C - 27°C (Ref. 13614); 9°S - 15°S
Africa: Endemic to Lake Malawi.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 19 - ? cm
Max length : 42.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 55949)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Diagnosis: elongated and very streamlined shape; body in cross-section more rounded than congenerics; frequently exhibits a horizontal stripe (Ref. 55949).
Inhabits the open water (Ref. 5595). Widely distributed in shelf and rocky reef zones, usually where the bottom is fairly shallow; rarely found offshore; small juveniles widely distributed in the littoral zone in swampy, sandy and rocky habitats; adults regularly encountered near sandy beaches in the shallows (Ref. 55949). Feeds on fish species like the small Utaka and the lake sardine Usipa (Engraulicypris sardella) (Ref. 5595).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Maréchal, C., 1991. Rhamphochromis. p. 422-424. 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. 5689)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this 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 (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).
