Benitochromis | |
---|---|
Benitochromis ufermanni, female | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cichliformes |
Family: | Cichlidae |
Tribe: | Chromidotilapiini |
Genus: | Benitochromis Lamboj, 2001 |
Type species | |
Chromidotilapia finleyi Trewavas, 1974 [1] |
Benitochromis is a small genus of cichlid fishes that are endemic to riverine and lake habitats in Middle Africa (Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, including the island of Bioko). Several of these species were originally assigned to the genus Chromidotilapia . [2] The name of this genus is derived from the type locality of the Benito River in Equatorial Guinea compounded with chromis, a word which originated with Aristotle and which may derive from the Greek word chroemo, meaning "to neigh" and which may have originally referred to the drums of the family Sciaenidae and which was expanded to include cichlids, damselfishes, dottybacks, and wrasses, groups of perch-like fish which were thought to be more closely related to each other than they are subsequent studies have apparently found them to be. [3]
Benitochromis nigrodorsalis ordinarily undergoes biparental reproduction, but is also capable of facultative [ disambiguation needed ] (optional) self-fertilization (selfing). [4] Facultative selfing likely occurs when a mating partner is unavailable. [4]
There are currently six recognized species in this genus: [5]
Tropheus is a small genus of at least six species of cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. The genus is widespread across all regions of Lake Tanganyika, from Burundi in the north to Zambia in the south. Males and females are relatively similar in color, with only subtle sexual dimorphism in the form of the male's larger size. All species are maternal mouthbrooders, with the females caring for their eggs and fry in their mouths; this characteristic provides their generic name, Tropheus, which comes from the Greek trophos, which means "to nurse" or, according to Boulenger, "one who rears, brings up, educates". The genus is fished lightly by the local population, but has never become a staple food fish due to its relatively small size and its habitat, which enables it to dart between rocks when threatened.
Greenwoodochromis is a small genus of cichlid fish that are endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa. It is the only genus in the monotypic tribe Greenwoodochromini, however, some authorities have synonymised the Greenwoodochromini with the tribe Limnochromini.
Anomalochromis is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae, containing the single species Anomalochromis thomasi, the African butterfly cichlid. It is a small cichlid growing to a length of 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in). The natural habitat of A. thomasi is Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, mainly in smaller streams. The fish are typically found in slightly acidic, oxygen rich water with other west African cichlid genera such as Hemichromis and Pelvicachromis.
The threadfin acara, also known as Heckel's thread-finned acara, is a South American species of cichlid fish. It is the only member of the genus Acarichthys and is native to rivers in the Amazon and Essequibo basins in tropical South America, and has become established in southeastern Asia. It is sometimes found in the aquarium trade.
The Benito is a river in Equatorial Guinea. It is known locally as the Mbini River, and, at least as it flows in its westerly part through the Monte Alen National Park, as the Uoro River. The river rises in Gabon and crosses into Equatorial Guinea where it divides the country roughly along the middle, running east to west. At the mouth to the Atlantic Ocean lies the town of Mbini, as well as large mangrove stands that extend 20 kilometres (12 mi) inland. Only this 20 kilometres (12 mi) portion of the river is navigable. The river is used to float logs for forestry operations. The cichlid genus Benitochromis takes the first part of its name from the Benito River.
Reganochromis calliurus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. It lives over a sandy substrate in deeper coastal waters, to depths of at least 60 m (200 ft). Its preferred diet consists mostly of shrimp. It can reach a total length of 15 cm (5.9 in). This fish can also be found in the aquarium trade. It is currently the only known member of its genus.
Aristochromis christyi is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae, which is endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa. It is the only known member of its genus.
The giant cichlid, also known as the emperor cichlid, is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae, endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa. It is the only member of its genus Boulengerochromis and tribe Boulengerochromini.
Baileychromis centropomoides is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika in east Africa. This fish grows to a length of 16.8 centimetres (6.6 in) TL. It is currently the only known member of its genus. The generic name is a compound noun, made up of the surname Bailey, in honour of the American ichthyologist Reeve Maclaren Bailey (1911-2011) of the University of Michigan, and the Greek word chromis which was used by Aristotle for a type of fish. This was probably the drum Sciaenidae and may be derived from the word chroemo which means "to neigh" in reference to the noise made by drums. This word was applied to a number of percomorph fishes, such as damselfish, cardinalfish, dottybacks, wrasses and cichilds, by ichthyologists as these were thought to be closely related.
Docimodus evelynae is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi; it is widespread in the lake and found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. This species has unusual feeding habits: it feeds upon the flank scales of cichlids or cyprinids and the skin of catfishes. The specific name honours Evelyn Axelrod, the wife of the publisher Herbert R. Axelrod (1927-2017).
The damba is a species of cichlid.
Paretroplus nourissati, the lamena, is a species of cichlid from the vicinity of the confluence of the Amboaboa and Mangarahara Rivers near Mandritsara in northern Madagascar. This relatively elongate Paretroplus reaches about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) in length, and is closely related to P. lamenabe and P.tsimoly. P. nourissati is threatened by habitat loss and invasive species.
Stigmatochromis woodi is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it can be found hunting for prey over sandy areas. It can reach a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. The specific name honours Rodney C. Wood, whose collection of cichlids from Lake Malawi, which included the type of this species, was presented to the British Museum. It is the type species of the genus Stigmatochromis.
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.
Apistogramma viejita is a dwarf cichlid in the subfamily Cichlinae, in the tribe Geophagini. It is a benthopelagic freshwater fish that lives in the Meta River and the Orinoco River in Colombia. They grow up to 4.6 cm in standard length.
Enteromius aloyi is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Enteromius. It is known only from its type locality on the Ntem River, Equatorial Guinea.
Enigmatochromis lucanusi is a species of cichlid known only from the Foto River, an affluent of The Konkouré River near Fria, Guinea.
Gerald Robert "Gerry" Allen is an American-born Australian ichthyologist. His career began in 1963, when he spent a semester at the University of Hawaii, where he also received a PhD in marine zoology in 1971. In 1972, Allen wrote his doctoral thesis on the systematics and biology of the anemone fish.
Rondonacara hoehnei is a species of cichlid fish of the subfamily Cichlinae. This species is endemic to the upper das Mortes River basin in the Araguaia drainage of central Brazil. This species is the only known member of its genus, but it was formerly included in Aequidens. Although not yet rated by the IUCN, it has been suggested that it is seriously threatened and should be considered critically endangered. The specific name honour the collector of the type specimen, the Brazilian botanist Frederico Carlos Hoehne (1882-1959).
Wallaceochromis is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae and subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae endemic to West Africa. The name of this genus honours the British naturalist and coproponent of the theory of evolution through natural selection, Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913).