Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Pseudotropheus: Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, tropaion = defeat, a memorial of a fighting war, trophy; because of their specialized teeth were such an obvious feeding adaptation (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Trewavas.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; depth range 6 - 76 m. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 13614); 12°S - 15°S
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5684)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: This species is distinguished from all other members in Pseudotropheus, except P. williamsi, by a pale yellow to hyaline dorsal fin and by the absence of distinct vertical bars below the dorsal fin; most species of Pseudotropheus either have distinct bars below the dorsal fin or a dorsal fin with black pigment (Ref. 119458). It is distinguished from P. williamsi by the absence of two horizontal lines of black dots on the flank (Ref. 119458).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
In some places, this species commonly inhabits open sandy areas which are usually below 10 m (Ref. 6256 mentions samples caught in trawls from 6-76 meters). It feeds by picking invertebrates from the silty layer that covers the sand in many places (Ref. 5595).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Stauffer, J.R. Jr., A.F. Konings and T.M. Ryan, 2016. Redescription of Pseudotropheus livingstonii and Pseudotropheus elegans from Lake Malawi, Africa. Zootaxa 4154(2):169-178. (Ref. 119458)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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