| Astatotilapia calliptera | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Male above, females below, all of Lake Chilingali origin | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Astatotilapia |
| Species: | A. calliptera |
| Binomial name | |
| Astatotilapia calliptera | |
| Synonyms | |
Astatotilapia calliptera, the eastern happy or eastern river bream, is a species of haplochromine cichlid from southeastern Africa.
The male Astatotilapia calliptera has blue lips and a dark line through its eye. It can show a reddish forehead but the body is normally yellow, although some wild populations are blue. [3] The females are smaller than the males and are brownish silvery in colour. [4] The maximum total length is 15 cm (5.9 in). [5]
Astatotilapia calliptera occurs in Lake Malawi and its drainage, the Shire River, and Lakes Chiuta and Chilwa. It has also been recorded from the lower Zambezi River, [5] and in coastal rivers on the coastal plain of Mozambique, from the Rovuma River and south as far as the Save River, [1] This species is established as a non-native, introduced species in Broward County and Palm Beach County in Florida, United States. [6]
Astatotilapia calliptera prefers shallow water with a sand substrate with aquatic vegetation such as species of Vallisneria , [3] where it can be abundant. It is most common in the lower reaches of rivers and weedy flood lagoons. [1] It is an omnivore and much of its diet consists of detritus and phytoplankton; [3] they will also eat invertebrates, algae and smaller fishes. [5]
They are mouthbrooders in which the female lays her eggs on a hard substrate and then they are inseminated by the male before the female takes them into her mouth where they stay for 12-14 days before hatching. The young are then guarded by their mother for a further 5-6 days, using her mouth as a refuge when they perceive danger. [5]
Astatotilapia calliptera was one of the first cichlid species found in the aquarium trade. [4] [7] A number of colour varieties are available. [4]
Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Traditionally Cichlids were classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses (Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this grouping. On the basis of fossil evidence, it first appeared in Tanzania during the Eocene epoch, about 46–45 million years ago. The closest living relative of cichlids is probably the convict blenny, and both families are classified in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World as the two families in the Cichliformes, part of the subseries Ovalentaria. This family is large, diverse, and widely dispersed. At least 1,650 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families. New species are discovered annually, and many species remain undescribed. The actual number of species is therefore unknown, with estimates varying between 2,000 and 3,000.
Labidochromis caeruleus is a species of cichlid endemic to the central western coastal region of Lake Malawi in East Africa. It is also known as lemon yellow lab, the blue streak hap, the electric yellow or yellow prince, depending on the colour morph. A naturally occurring yellow-coloured variant from Lion's Cove is one of the most popular cichlids amongst aquarium hobbyists.
Maylandia estherae is a haplochromine cichlid. It is a rock dwelling fish or mbuna from Lake Malawi. This fish, like most cichlids from Lake Malawi, is a mouthbrooder - females hold their fertilized eggs then fry in their mouths until they are released after about 21 days.
Aulonocranus dewindti is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika and some rivers which flow into it.
The Texas cichlid, also known as the Rio Grande cichlid, is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family, and the only cichlid species that is native to the United States. It is found in the lower Rio Grande drainage in Texas near Brownsville and northeastern Mexico.
Nimbochromis livingstonii, Livingston's cichlid or (locally) kalingono, is a freshwater mouthbrooding cichlid native to Lake Malawi, an African Rift Lake. It is also found in the upper Shire River and Lake Malombe. They are found in inshore areas of the lake over sandy substrates.
The Mozambique tilapia is an oreochromine cichlid fish native to southeastern Africa. Dull colored, the Mozambique tilapia often lives up to a decade in its native habitats. It is a popular fish for aquaculture. Due to human introductions, it is now found in many tropical and subtropical habitats around the globe, where it can become an invasive species because of its robust nature. These same features make it a good species for aquaculture because it readily adapts to new situations. It is known as black tilapia in Colombia and as blue kurper in South Africa.
The nkhomo-benga peacock, also known as the new yellow regal peacock, is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi. This species is threatened by capture for the aquarium trade.
Copadichromis geertsi is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi.
Ctenochromis horei is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is found in East Africa.
Astatotilapia burtoni is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae.
Astatotilapia flaviijosephi, the Jordan mouthbrooder, is a vulnerable species of freshwater fish in the family Cichlidae (cichlids). It is found in the central Jordan River system, including Lake Tiberias (Kinneret), in Israel, Jordan and Syria, making it the only haplochromine cichlid to naturally range outside of Africa. This species is too small to be of significant importance to fisheries, unlike the only other cichlids native to the Levant, the economically important tilapias.
The zebra mbuna is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa. This species can reach a length of 11.3 cm (4.4 in). It feeds on aufwuchs, a surface layer of mostly algal material that grows on rocks. This cichlid is a mouthbrooder and the female broods the eggs in her mouth for about three weeks. This fish can sometimes be found in the aquarium trade.
Pseudotropheus saulosi is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa, where it lives in areas with rocky substrates. It is classified as a dwarf-mbuna and was first described by Ad Konings in 1990, who gave it the specific name saulosi in honour of Saulos Mwale who caught over 3,000 specimens in a single day on the expedition which collected the type. It comes from an area of the lake called Taiwan Reef, and from nowhere else. This fish can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The electric blue hap is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi. It prefers to live in caves and crevices in rocky substrates. This species can reach a length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The pindu is a critically endangered species of cichlid endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo in western Cameroon.
Chromidotilapia guntheri, or Günther's mouthbrooder, is a cichlid from Africa. It was previously considered to consist of two subspecies, the common C. g. guntheri ranges from Liberia to Equatorial Guinea and Niger, and the critically endangered C. g. loennbergi which was thought to be restricted to Lake Barombi-ba-Kotto, a small crater lake in Cameroon but these subspecies are not supported by subsequent authorities. The species is noted for being a biparental mouthbrooder. Eggs are laid on a flat open surface and taken in the parents' mouth. Unlike many mouthbrooding cichlid species, both parents participate in the mouthbrooding.
The blackchin tilapia is a species of cichlid native to coastal west Africa. It is a paternal mouthbrooder which has been introduced to Asia and North America.
The redbelly tilapia, also known as the Zille's redbreast tilapia or St. Peter's fish, is a species of fish in the cichlid family. This fish is found widely in fresh and brackish waters in the northern half of Africa and the Middle East. Elsewhere in Africa, Asia, Australia and North America, it has been introduced as a food fish or as a control of aquatic vegetation. Where introduced, it sometimes becomes invasive, threatening the local ecology and species. The redbelly tilapia is an important food fish and sometimes aquacultured.
Hemichromis letourneuxi is a species of cichlid which is native to West Africa and is popular in the aquarium hobby and it has been introduced to the Caribbean and the south-east United States where it is invasive.
