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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Alticorpus peterdaviesi
Genus: Alticorpus
Type locality: Off Monkey Bay, Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Deep-water habitats over sand or mud substrates. Recorded from depths of approximately 50–125 m.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Malawi. Considered rare; known mainly from the southern part of the lake and the Nkhotakota area.
Typical adult size: Up to 16 cm total length.
Sexual dimorphism: Strong. Territorial males are bronze with relatively broad dark bars and yellowish-bronze tones on the head and anterior body; ventral areas become dark to black in fully dominant males. Unpaired fins are bronze, with a broad white margin and a narrow dark submarginal band on the dorsal fin; dorsal and caudal fins show yellow-green maculae and striae. Anal fin grey with large white or yellow ocelli; pelvic fins dark; pectoral fins yellowish.
Females are silvery with a yellow hue and yellow-grey fins, showing only faint maculae and striation. Immature and non-territorial males display intermediate coloration that darkens with increasing territoriality.
Diet: Likely a molluscivore, based on a high number of gill rakers and specialized pharyngeal dentition. Diet is probably supplemented with small benthic macroinvertebrates.
Breeding: Presumed maternal mouthbrooder, consistent with other haplochromines. Breeding season extends from November to May, with increased activity from January to February. Females produce relatively small to moderate clutches.
Aggression: Unknown; no detailed information on territorial or interspecific aggression is available.
Special notes: Alticorpus peterdaviesi is a rare deep-water species distinguished from congeners by its high number of gill rakers and specialized dentition adapted for feeding on hard-shelled prey. It is not targeted by the ornamental fish trade and is currently considered not threatened, although deep-water trawl fisheries could pose a potential future risk.

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Photo: © George Turner
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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