Diplotaxodon sp. 'limnothrissa blackpelvic' Nkhata Bay
Genus:
Diplotaxodon
Geographic distribution:
Lake Malawi, northern basin; confirmed from Nkhata Bay northwards to Ngara and Chilumba.
Sexual dimorphism:
Breeding males show a distinctive “reversed countershading” or “dorsal blaze” pattern,
with a pale dorsum contrasting darker flanks and ventral surfaces, plus conspicuously
dark pelvic fins; fine dark freckling on the dorsum may remain useful when breeding
coloration is weak. Females and immature fish are predominantly silvery and
countershaded with no diagnostic external markings reported.
Breeding:
Maternal mouthbrooder.
Special notes:
Females and juveniles cannot be reliably separated from Diplotaxodon limnothrissa by
morphometrics or meristics and are diagnosable only with genomic data. Genetic
analyses support reproductive isolation from D. limnothrissa and several other
Diplotaxodon. Phylogenomic results (limited sampling) place this taxon basally within
the Diplotaxodon/Pallidochromis clade, but additional genomes from males with
well-developed breeding dress are needed to confirm this placement.
Photo gallery