Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Alticorpus: Latin, altus = nutritious + Latin, corpus = body (Ref. 45335); mentale: From the latin "mentum" = chin, referring to the prominent mental processus (Ref. 55908).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 18 - 150 m (Ref. 55908), usually 60 - 150 m (Ref. 55908). Tropical; 12°S - 15°S
Africa: Endemic to southern part of Lake Malawi.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 55908)
Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Diagnosis: no protuberance on the chest (Ref. 55908). Low number of gill-rakers (Ref. 27611, 55908). Pores and bones in infraorbital series on the head small; lower jaw 44.7-51.1% head length; 3-4 rows of scales on cheek starting from ventroposterior corner (Ref. 55908).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
More or less evenly distributed below 60m (Ref. 55908). Prefers sandy and muddy bottoms (Ref. 5595).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Maréchal, C., 1991. Alticorpus. p. 2-3. 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. 5594)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00674 - 0.03099), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.7 ±0.2 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).
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