Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Ptychochrominae
Etymology: Ptychochromoides: Greek, ptyx, ptychos = fold + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335); vondrozo: Named for the nearest village to the type locality that is depicted on readily available maps; the epithet vondrozo is used as a noun in apposition (Ref. 39915).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical
Africa: Mananara du Sud River basin, in the southeastern highlands of Madagascar (Ref. 39915).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 39915)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10; Vertebrae: 29 - 31. Diagnosis: Ptychochromoides vondrozo is distinguished from congeners by the lack of a prominent adipose occipital hump, even in large adults and regardless of sex (Ref. 39915). In life, Ptychochromoides vondrozo is diagnosed by a vivid golden-olive ground colouration in combination with an irregular, brownish to black, blotchy and speckled lateral pigmentation pattern (Ref. 39915). It is further distinguished from its sister taxon, Ptychochromoides betsileanus by possession of a shallower caudal peduncle, 12.9-14.8% of standard length vs. 15.8-18.1%; a noticeably convex lateral snout outline with conspicuous premaxillary pedicel prominence; and a higher modal vertebral count, 30 vs. 29 (Ref. 39915). It is distinguished from Ptychochromoides katria by a larger adult size, exceeding 200 mm standard length; a mottled and blotchy overall pigmentation pattern vs. solid golden-brown base body colouration, with two wide, black vertical bars on the flanks; a greater number of ceratobranchial gill rakers, 10-12 vs. 8-9; the absence of a hypertrophied cephalic latero-sensory canal system on the lower jaw, preopercle, and neurocranium; and the presence of cycloid scales on the chest and belly vs. cycloid scales restricted to the extreme antero-ventral margin of the chest (Ref. 39915).
Found in the deep, seasonally turbid, and moderate to fast-flowing rivers in the immediate vicinity of Vevembe (Ref. 39915). These habitats are characterized by a relatively sandy substrate, with regions of small to large rocks and boulders, where there are areas of relatively still water and deep pools, in addition to swift flowing water (Ref. 39915). Specimens were captured with hook and line using Odonata larvae (Ref. 39915).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sparks, J.S. and P.N. Reinthal, 2001. A new species of Ptychochromoides from southeastern Madagascar (Teleostei: Cichlidae), with comments on the monophyly and relationships of the ptychochromine cichlids. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 12(2):115-132. (Ref. 39915)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (15 of 100).
