malawi.si

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
Facebook
Alticorpus macrocleithrum
Genus: Alticorpus
Type locality: Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Deep-water habitats over silt, mud, or occasionally sandy substrates. Most commonly found at depths of 90–128 m, with an overall reported depth range of approximately 35–138 m.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Malawi. Originally reported from the southern end of the lake, but later records indicate a much wider, possibly lake-wide distribution.
Typical adult size: Up to 18 cm total length.
Sexual dimorphism: Not well documented. No clear external sexual dimorphism is known.
Diet: Feeds primarily on small benthic macroinvertebrates and possibly small fishes. Morphology suggests it does not graze algae or phytoplankton and lacks the strong jaws typical of specialized piscivorous haplochromines.
Breeding: Presumed maternal mouthbrooder, consistent with Lake Malawi haplochromine cichlids. Females carry relatively large eggs and moderate clutch sizes. Breeding likely occurs in deep water, possibly between March and September.
Aggression: Unknown; no specific information on territorial or interspecific aggression is available.
Special notes: Alticorpus macrocleithrum is unique among Lake Malawi haplochromines due to a pronounced ventral protuberance caused by hypertrophy of the cleithrum. This feature is thought to be associated with its feeding strategy in soft, diatom-rich substrates, providing strong pectoral musculature to reverse after plunging the snout into sediment. Although widespread and currently not considered threatened, it is a true deep-water species and remains poorly known in both the wild and aquaristics.

Photo gallery

Photo: © Ad Konings
malawi.si
Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
All images are used with permission of the authors. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Quick links
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
Contact
Email Facebook Instagram Support this site
© malawi.si