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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Otopharynx cf. lithobates.jpg Otopharynx lithobates 'Chinyamwezi Island'.jpg Otopharynx lithobates 'Domwe Island'.jpg
Next pageOtopharynx cf. lithobates (unknown locality)<br><font color=gray>Otopharynx walteri (unknown locality)</font>
Genus: Otopharynx
Type locality: Thumbi West Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope: Rocky shores and the transition zone between rock and stone habitats, from near the surface to at least 20 m; territorial males occupy caves and defend small areas, recorded down to about 30 m.
Geographic distribution: Southern Lake Malawi around Cape Maclear and the Nankhumba Peninsula, including islands such as Maleri, Mumbo, Thumbi West, Zimbawe Rock, Domwe, Thumbi East, Chinyankwazi and Chinyamwezi.
Typical adult size: Males up to about 100 mm standard length in the wild, reaching in aquarium approximately 14–17 cm total length; females smaller, about 8–10 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Adult males metallic blue with a white to orange blaze along the top of the head extending into the dorsal fin margin and sometimes the upper caudal margin; anal fin with orange margin but lacking eggspots. Females tan to brown with darker flank spots.
Recommended aquarium size: A minimum tank length of 130 cm and a volume of 350 l are recommended.
Aquarium setup: Rocky aquascape with caves for territorial males and multiple shelters for females; regular partial water changes are recommended. Best maintained as one male with 2–4 females.
Diet: Feeds predominantly on planktonic crustaceans, especially diaptomid copepods; gut length about 150% of standard length. Also observed feeding on fish feces.
Breeding: Mouthbrooder; females incubate eggs and fry for about 20 days. Spawning occurs on rock surfaces, with females collecting eggs in the mouth immediately after deposition. Males defend small territories associated with caves.
Aggression: Males defend territories against conspecific males.
Special notes: The Maleri Islands population was formerly described as Otopharynx walteri. Subsequent morphometric analyses demonstrated that it cannot be distinguished from Otopharynx lithobates, and because the name O. lithobates was published earlier it has nomenclatural priority; O. walteri is therefore treated as its junior synonym. Males exhibit geographic variation in the coloration of the frontal blaze and dorsal fin margin, ranging from pure white to bright orange; the well-known orange-blazed aquarium form is reported to originate from Zimbawe Rock. On tanganyika.si, the population formerly known as O. walteri is referred to as Otopharynx cf. lithobates.

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Photo: © Benoit Jonas
Photo: © Hessi James
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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