Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus (Haplochromis) plus a number of closely related genera such as Aulonocara, Astatotilapia, and Chilotilapia. They are endemic to eastern, southern and northern Africa, except for Astatotilapia flaviijosephi in the Middle East. A common name in a scientific context is East African cichlids – while they are not restricted to that region, they are the dominant Cichlidae there. This tribe was extensively studied by Ethelwynn Trewavas, who made major reviews in 1935 and 1989, at the beginning and at the end of her career in ichthyology. Even today, numerous new species are being described each year.
Alticorpus peterdaviesi is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi. It is found in the southern part of the lake, in areas where the substrate consists of "diatom ooze" and diatoms probably form the major part of its diet.
The pale Usisya aulonocara is a putative species of haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi.
Bathyclarias nyasensis is a species of airbreathing catfish endemic to Lake Malawi, in the countries of Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. This species grows to a length of 100 cm SL. This species is commercially caught for human consumption.
Buccochromis heterotaenia is a species of haplochromine cichlid and it is endemic to Lake Malawi, being found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
The slender tail hap, is a species of fish in the, tribe Haplochromini part of the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae of the family Cichlidae.
Buccochromis nototaenia, the stripeback hap, is a species of fish in the, tribe Haplochromini part of the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae of the family Cichlidae.
Buccochromis rhoadesii is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper Shire River in the countries of Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Buccochromis spectabilis is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. It lives in shallow waters near the lake shore.
Copadichromis azureus is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi where it is found in the country of Malawi.
Copadichromis virginalis is a species of haplochromine cichlid, which is endemic to Lake Malawi the upper Shire River and to Lake Malombe. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The population has shown signs of a severe decline and is under pressure from overfishing for food, in 2018 this led to the IUCN changing its status from Data Deficient to Near Threatened.
Lethrinops oculatus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is only known from the southern part of the lake over sandy substrates. This species grows to a length of 13.5 centimetres (5.3 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. The 2018 version of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species treats this taxon as a junior synonyms of Lethrinops marginatus, as does the Catalog of Fishes.
Lethrinops stridei is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it occurs at depths of from 15 to 55 metres in areas with sandy substrates. This species grows to a length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in) SL. The specific name honours Kenneth E. Stride, who introduced successful commercial trawling to Lake Malawi, and this species is now very rare in Lake Malawi and is threatened by overfishing by commercial trawlers.
The Malawi spinyeel is a species of fish in the family Mastacembelidae from Africa. It is endemic to the Lake Malawi basin, including the main lake itself, Lake Malombe and the lower Shire River. It is the only described species of spinyeel in Lake Malawi, but a brightly marked variant, Mastacembelus sp. "Rosette" is also known. It is unclear if it is a variant of the Malawi spinyeel or an undescribed species. The Malawi spinyeel reaches about 30 cm (12 in) in length, and likely feeds on invertebrates and small fish.
Bellamya ecclesi is a species of large freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Viviparidae. This species is found in Malawi and Mozambique. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes.
Bellamya jeffreysi is a species of large freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Viviparidae.
Potamonautes lirrangensis, the Malawi blue crab, is a species of freshwater crab in the family Potamonautidae. This common and widespread species is found in Lake Malawi, Lake Kivu, the upper Congo River Basin and Malagarasi River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. In the freshwater aquarium trade it is sometimes sold under the synonym Potamonautes orbitospinus.
Ecsenius oculatus, the ocular coralblenny, is a species of combtooth blenny in the genus Ecsenius. It is found in coral reefs in the western Indian ocean. It can reach a maximum length of 4.7 centimetres. Blennies in this species feed primarily off of plants, including benthic algae and weeds.
The golden spotted thick-toed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
