malawi.si

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
Tramitichromis brevis 'Chizumulu Island'.jpg Tramitichromis brevis 'Liwani'.jpg Tramitichromis brevis 'Lupingu'.jpg
Next pageTramitichromis brevis 'Chizumulu Island'
Genus: Tramitichromis
Type locality: Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Muddy bottoms between rocks; associated with sand and sediment habitats where mouthfuls of sand and sediment are processed during feeding.
Geographic distribution: Found all around Lake Malawi.
Typical adult size: About 14 cm total length.
Diet: Feeds on worms and other soft invertebrates living in bottom sediment; lighter material, including invertebrates and algae, can be retained while heavier sand is expelled via the gill slit.
Breeding: Breeding may occur year-round. Males build a bower centered on a small stone, with a semicircular rim of sand deposited around it; eggs are laid as far as possible beneath the stone.
Special notes: Tramitichromis is distinguished by a characteristic lower pharyngeal bone with long, slender teeth, including markedly elongated anterior teeth with backward-bent tips, and by a downward-projecting anterior blade of the pharyngeal bone. The genus also shows strong, squat lower gill-rakers that form a near-horizontal grid which can separate heavier sand from lighter food items during sand-sifting. This species is readily recognized by a prominent diagonal stripe on the flank and has been exported under the trade names “Lethrinops variabilis” and “Lethrinops Chizumulu”; at Likoma it is known locally as kambuzi wa chigongo.

Photo gallery

Photo: © Ad Konings
Photo: © Aqua-Treff
Photo: © Aqua-Treff
malawi.si
Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
All images are used with permission of the authors. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Quick links
By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map
Contact
Email Facebook Instagram
© malawi.si