| Gnathochromis pfefferi | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Gnathochromis |
| Species: | G. pfefferi |
| Binomial name | |
| Gnathochromis pfefferi (Boulenger, 1898) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Gnathochromis pfefferi is an African species of fish in the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and its slow-flowing tributaries in the countries of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia. [1] It is common and widespread. [1] This cichlid is found in relatively shallow waters, typically over soft bottoms in places with aquatic grasses. [1]
It reaches up to 14 cm (5.5 in) in length, [2] and females are a little smaller than males. [3] It eats invertebrates (especially shrimp [4] ) and plant material. [1] Like many other Tanganyika cichlids, it is a mouthbrooder [2] [4] and sometimes kept in aquariums. [3]
Although currently included in the genus Gnathochromis , it is distantly related to the type species G. permaxillaris (tribe Limnochromini), instead being closer to Tropheini. [5] The specific name honours the German zoologist Georg Johann Pfeffer (1854-1931). [6]