malawi.si

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
Labidochromis sp. 'mbamba' Ngkuyo Island.jpg Maylandia fainzilberi 'Ngkuyo Island'.jpg Maylandia midomo 'Ngkuyo Island'.jpg Maylandia tarakiki 'Ngkuyo Island'.jpg Protomelas similis 'Ngkuyo Island'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageMaylandia midomo 'Ngkuyo Island'<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima midomo 'Ngkuyo Island'</font>
Genus: Maylandia
Type locality: Lundo Island, Lake Malawi, Tanzania
Biotope: Rock-bound mbuna associated mainly with rocks that are usually free of sediment. It is only infrequently encountered in the shallow intermediate habitats surrounding Lundo Island.
Geographic distribution: According to A. Konings, the species is considered endemic to Lundo Island, although Mark Thomas has reported specimens from Ngkuyo Island.
Typical adult size: In the wild, males reach about 12.5 cm TL and females are about 10% smaller.
Sexual dimorphism: Sexual dimorphism is subtle. Territorial males are more vividly colored, with a blue ground color and distinct dark vertical bars, while females show duller blue-green coloration with faint barring.
Diet: Feeds by combing loose material from aufwuchs on rocky substrate; diet includes diatoms and digestible strands of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Also schools in the water column to pick plankton, mainly phytoplankton (again diatoms and cyanobacteria).
Breeding: Males defend cave-centered territories among rocks, often spaced less than a meter apart. Spawning takes place inside the male’s cave. Females are maternal mouthbrooders that hide among rocks during incubation and release the fry there, after which parental care ceases.
Aggression: Males exhibit strong territoriality and dominance behavior, especially toward other males, and actively exclude rivals from their defended areas.
Special notes: The diagnosis places the species in Metriaclima based on oral dentition and head/vomer morphology, and notes resemblance to Petrotilapia while still differing by the presence of bicuspid outer-row teeth. On Lundo Island it is discussed alongside other Metriaclima, distinguishable chiefly by male coloration traits (e.g., absence of a black submarginal band in the dorsal fin compared with M. lundoense and some M. sp. ‘msobo heteropictus’).
The account describes that the species was initially suspected to be a geographical variant of M. zebra, but morphometric comparisons with neighboring M. zebra populations reportedly showed no overlap; being encountered only at Lundo Island is presented as supporting treatment as a distinct species.

Photo gallery

Photo: © Mark Thomas
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