Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Alticorpus sp. 'bicuspid small-scale' Senga Bay
Genus: Alticorpus
Biotope: Deep-water habitat over sand or mud substrate. Recorded only from extreme depths of approximately 125–128 m.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Malawi. Known exclusively from Senga Bay.
Typical adult size: Up to 14 cm total length.
Diet: Presumed to feed on small benthic macroinvertebrates associated with soft deep-water substrates, similar to other deep-water members of the genus.
Breeding: Unknown. Presumed maternal mouthbrooder, consistent with other Lake Malawi haplochromines.
Aggression: Unknown.
Special notes: Alticorpus sp. 'bicuspid small-scale' is regarded as a potentially undescribed species. It is currently known only from a single locality and extreme depths, and remains very poorly studied. The taxon has not been evaluated by the IUCN and is absent from the aquarium trade.

Photo: © Jos Snoeks