Lepidiolamprologus

Lepidiolamprologus nkambae

Lepidiolamprologus ( Gr. " lepidos " = with scales, " lampros " = glossy) is a genus of the family of cichlids ( Cichlidae ), which is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and lives there on the gravel shores, in the rock - and transition zone.

Features

Lepidiolamprologus males 14 to 32,5 cm long, the females stay smaller. The fish are very elongated, the body cross-section approximately round. Characteristic of the genus, the high number is shed in a side longitudinal row (over 60 ). The mouth is large and deeply divided, the teeth strong. In both jaws there are some strong fangs. The caudal fin is currently completing or slightly emarginate.

Way of life

Lepidiolamprologus species live between boulders, the cliffs and in the transition zone between rocky habitats and the sand zone and feed carnivorous itself. They are areas that they towards conspecifics and similar looking species vigorously defend, and only during the breeding season pairs or harems of one male and several females. The 200 to 500 small eggs are deposited in caves or crevices. The larvae hatch in about three days.

Species

The genus includes eight species.

• Lepidiolamprologus attenuatus ( Steindachner, 1909)
• Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni ( Boulenger, 1906) probably belongs elsewhere, as per above.
• Lepidiolamprologus elongatus ( Boulenger, 1898)
• Lepidiolamprologus kamambae Kullander, Karlsson & Karlsson, 2012
• Lepidiolamprologus kendalli (Poll & Stewart, 1977)
• Lepidiolamprologus mimicus Schelly, Takahashi, Bills & Hori, 2007
• Lepidiolamprologus nkambae ( Staeck, 1978)
• Lepidiolamprologus profundicola (Poll, 1949)

Outer systematics

The genus is monophyletic Lepidiolamprologus the exclusion of Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni and the sister genus of high-backed, also carnivorous genus Altolamprologus. Together with the basal standing "snail cichlids " they form a monophyletic clade within the tribe Lamprologini ( clade A). Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni is more closely related to various Neolamprologus species and forms with them, Chalinochromis, Julidochromis and Telmatochromis another monophyletic clade within the Lamprologini ( clade B).