Stomatepia

Stomatepia mongo in an aquarium of the London Zoo.

Stomatepia is a genus of fish belonging to the family of cichlids ( Cichlidae ). It is endemic in the volcanic Barombi Mbo in western Cameroon ago.

Features

Stomatepia species have a typical cichlid shape and are 9-10 cm long. Their bodies are laterally strongly flattened and built differently high. The body height reaches 25 to 37 % of standard length. The muzzle is pointed and slightly upper constant, the upper jaw reaches 26.8 to 35.2 % of head length. In the coloring of different shades of brown brightness prevail. The dorsal fin of the animals is supported 13-16 spines and 10-12 soft rays. The number of spines in the anal fin is 3 and the soft rays 8 to 10, As for carnivorous fish typical of the intestine is shorter than the standard length.

Way of life

The three types of Stomatepia take in Barombi Mbo an ecological niche of small predators and feed on aquatic insects, small fish and fish larvae. They are the only living genus of carnivorous Oreochrominen cichlids. Two types operate Kleptoparasitismus and " steal " food of the freshwater crab Potamon africanus. Stomatepia species are mouth brooders.

Species

• Stomatepia mariae (Holly, 1930)
• Stomatepia mongo Trewavas in Trewavas, Green and Corbet, 1972
• Stomatepia pindu Trewavas in Trewavas, Green and Corbet, 1972