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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Maylandia sp. 'dumpy' Maleri Island.jpg Maylandia sp. 'dumpy' Nakatenga Island.jpg
Previous pageMaylandia sp. 'dumpy' Nakatenga Island<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima sp. 'dumpy' Nakatenga Island</font>
Genus: Maylandia
Biotope: Deep intermediate habitat with sand and widely scattered small rocks, often covered by a thick layer of muddy sediment. The species inhabits relatively deep areas, typically between about 13 and 28 m.
Geographic distribution: Lake Malawi at Maleri Island and Nakantenga Island.
Diet: Feeds on plankton when rocks are heavily covered with sediment. When Aufwuchs is available and competition is low, individuals may also utilize this food source, while remaining close to the substrate.
Breeding: Males defend territories centered on a spawning cave, usually a tunnel excavated beneath rocks, and aggressively exclude intruders from these sites.
Aggression: Territorial males defend spawning sites, but the species is described as relatively non-aggressive overall due to limited competition for territories in its deep, sediment-rich habitat.
Special notes: This small, stocky mbuna closely resembles Cynotilapia sp. ‘lion’ in both shape and behavior, but differs by possessing bicuspid teeth and is therefore placed in Maylandia. It lives in deep, low-visibility habitats where few other mbuna species occur, reducing competition for food and spawning sites. Its apparent reliance on plankton in heavily sedimented areas is interpreted as an adaptation to environments where algal growth is limited. A superficially similar form from Tanzanian waters, previously regarded as conspecific, is now treated as a distinct species.

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Photo: © Mattia Matarrese
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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