| Diplotaxodon argenteus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Diplotaxodon |
| Species: | D. argenteus |
| Binomial name | |
| Diplotaxodon argenteus Trewavas, 1935 | |
Diplotaxodon argenteus is a species of haplochromine cichlid fish in the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi. It occurs throughout the lake and therefore is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
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.
Diplotaxodon is a small genus of seven formally described, as well as a number of undescribed, deep-water species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi in east Africa. These fishes represent a remarkable adaptive radiation of offshore and deep-water adapted fish descended from ancestral shallow water forms. They include the dominant zooplankton-feeding fish of the offshore and deep-water regions of the lake, as well as a number of larger species that appear to feed on small pelagic fishes. Adult sizes range from 10 to 30 cm in total length, depending on species.
Rhamphochromis is a genus of East African haplochromine cichlids endemic to the Lake Malawi basin, also including Lake Malombe, Lake Chilingali, Chia Lagoon and upper Shire River. They mainly occur in offshore open waters, but a few species also near the coast. They are piscivores that typically feed on lake sardines and small utaka cichlids.
Hemitaeniochromis urotaenia is a species of fish endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. It is the type species of the genus Hemitaeniochromis, and is part of family Cichlidae in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae and the tribe Haplochromini.
Pseudotropheus johannii or the bluegray mbuna is an African freshwater fish from the family Cichlidae.
The Lake Malawi sardine, lake sardine, or usipa, is an African species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi and its outlet, the (upper) Shire River; it is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Leptopelis argenteus, also known as the silvery tree frog or triad tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in coastal Kenya and Tanzania and south to northern Mozambique, southern Malawi, and eastern highlands of Zimbabwe.
Leptopelis broadleyi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae of uncertain status. The Amphibian Species of the World, the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and the African Amphibians do not recognize it, but instead consider it synonym with Leptopelis argenteus. However, the AmphibiaWeb recognizes it as a valid species.
Aulonocara guentheri is a species of haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, where they are restricted to the south eastern arm, and Lake Malombe, meaning that as far as is known this fish is endemic to Malawi. It prefers shallow sandy habitat where it forages in small schools, males in breeding colours have been caught by fishermen in November and December suggesting that is when they breed. The specific name honours the German born British herpetologist and ichthyologist Albert Günther (1830-1914), who was one of the first scientists to recognise the diversity of te cichlids in Lake 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.
Diplotaxodon ecclesi is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi, in East Africa, where it is found in open water at mainly at the deeper levels, although it is rarely caught by trawling. Its main prey is the Lake Malawi sardine.
Diplotaxodon greenwoodi is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi. It occurs in the reef and shelf zones of the lake where it preys on small cichlids. The specific name honours the English ichthyologist Peter Humphry Greenwood (1927-1995).
Diplotaxodon limnothrissa is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi and it is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. It occurs in inshore and offshore waters, on reefs and over the rock shelf; and it is abundant over the anoxic zone. It is a maternal mouthbrooder and it feeds on zooplankton. It is probably the most abundant species of cichlid in Lake Malawi. The specific name references the clupeid Limnothrissa miodon, the Lake Tanganyika sardine, to which this species bears some morphological and biological similarities.
Diplotaxodon macrops is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi. It is found throughout the lake in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Within Lake Malawi it is abundant near the lake bed over rock shelves. It appears to be a plankton eating species that feeds on insect larvae, crustaceans, and diatoms.
Haplochromis argenteus is a critically endangered species of cichlid fish that is endemic to the Lake Victoria system in Africa. This species reaches a standard length of 20.2 cm (8.0 in). The species declined rapidly after the Nile perch was introduced to Lake Victoria. Last reported from this lake in 1983, it was considered possibly extinct when evaluated by the IUCN in 2010. However, that same year, several were recorded during a fish survey of Lake Bisina, a satellite lake of Lake Kyoga.
Lethrinops argenteus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi. This species grows to a length of 19 centimetres (7.5 in) TL.
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.
Nothobranchius kirki, the redfin notho, is a species of killifish from the family Nothobranchiidae which is endemic to Malawi where it occurs in the drainages of Lake Malawi and Lake Chilwa. It inhabits swamps and ephemeral pools. This species can reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. This species was described in 1969 by the South African ichthyologist Rex Jubb from types collected by R. G. Kirk, who was a fish biologist of the Agricultural Research Services part of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Malawi, from a pool adjacent to the Likangala River which forms part of the endorheic basin of Lake Chilwa in Malawi.
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