malawi.si

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
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
© malawi.si