Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Chromidotilapia: Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch + Bechuana, African native thiape = fish (Ref. 45335); melaniae: Named for Melanie Stiassny, curator of fishes at the American Museum of Natural History (Ref. 50577).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: Ogooue, Ngounie and Nyanga Rivers, and coastal regions of central and southern Gabon (Ref. 81260).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 50577)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 13 - 15;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 9-12;
Anal
spines: 3;
Anal
soft rays: 7 - 9;
Vertebrae: 25 - 27. Diagnosis: 14-18 gill rakers on first gill arch; no large spots on flanks (Ref. 81260). 4-6 bands or 2 rows of dark blotches and short horizontal lines usually visible when stressed (Ref. 50577, 81260). Relatively robust (body depth 26.7-38.2%, mean 34.4% SL); lachrymal depth less than 21% HL (Ref. 81260). No iridescence on cheek, operculum and flanks (Ref. 50577).
Pair-bonding, ovophilic, biparental mouthbrooding species (Ref. 81260).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
In aquaria, a monogamous, pair-bonding, biparental ovophilic mouth brooder. Eggs are deposited on hard substrate or on leaves and incubated by the female for the first 2 or 3 days; afterwhich incubation may be done by both male and female (but mainly by female) (Ref. 50577).
Lamboj, A., 2003. Chromidotilapia melaniae and C. nana, two new cichlid species (Perciformes, Cichlidae) from Gabon, Central Africa. Zootaxa 143:1-15. (Ref. 50577)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01514 (0.00709 - 0.03231), b=2.97 (2.80 - 3.14), 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.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (12 of 100) .