Alticorpus profundicola Stauffer & McKaye, 1988

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Max. size:  12.4 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; depth range 55 - 125 m
Distribution:  Africa: endemic to Lake Malawi. Occurs off Nkota Kota.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 14-15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Diagnosis: 14-16 gill-rakers on the lower part of the first gill arch (Ref. 27611, 55908). Head relatively large, its length 37.4-38.2% of standard length, but head width relatively small, 39.2-40.4% head length; fins placed relatively posterior on the body, with preanal length 65.8-67.0% of standard length; premaxillary pedicel small, its length 19.8-20.0% head length (Ref. 55908). Description: premaxillary pedicel very short; small cleithral protuberance present; outer teeth on jaw weakly tri- or biscuspid, or unicuspid; inner teeth on jaw tricuspid; pharyngeal teeth relatively stout, the median ones slightly enlarged to submolariform; most gill-rakers simple, some bi- or trifid (Ref. 55908). Coloration: Preserved adult males: basic colour yellow-brown; 5-6 broad, dark, vertical bars below the dorsal fin; head brown; dorsal fin light brown with a black submarginal band and white lappets; pelvic and anal fins brownish dark; pectoral fin yellowish (Ref. 55908).
Biology:  Irregularly caught between 55 and 125 m depth (Ref. 5595), but found up to 159m (type material) (Ref. 55908).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 22 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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