Steatocranus

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Steatocranus
Tinanti1.jpg
S. tinanti
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe: Steatocranini
Dunz & Schliewen, 2013
Genus: Steatocranus
Boulenger, 1899
Type species
Steatocranus gibbiceps
Boulenger, 1899

Steatocranus is a genus of small rheophilic cichlids mostly native to the Congo River Basin in DR Congo/Congo Brazzaville, although one species, S. irvinei , is restricted to the Volta River in Ghana and Burkino Faso, [1] and it belongs in a separate genus. [2] There are also at least c. 10 undescribed species in the Congo River basin awaiting scientific description. [3] [4]

The fish in this genus all have relatively reduced swim bladder function. The name Steatocranus refers to the fatty deposit on the forehead of most species.

Young female Steatocranus casuarius Steatocranus casuarius young.JPG
Young female Steatocranus casuarius

Two species, S. casuarius (also known as the lionhead or buffalohead cichlid) and S. tinanti are relatively common in the aquarium trade.

As for other cichlids brood care is highly developed and both sexes are involved in raising the young. All Steatocranus species are secretive cave spawners and form monogamous pairs for breeding. The female is more actively involved in fry raising, while the male is primarily concerned with territorial defence.

Species

Young male Steatocranus bleheri Bleheri.jpg
Young male Steatocranus bleheri

There are currently eight recognized species in this genus, [1] [5] but S. irvinei belongs elsewhere; [2] in 2019 it was proposed to move it to its own genus, Paragobiocichla. [6]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Mai-Ndombe</span> Lake in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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<i>Crenicichla</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Nanochromis</i> Genus of fishes

Nanochromis is a genus of small cichlids endemic to the Congo River Basin in Central Africa.

<i>Tilapia</i> (genus) Genus of fishes

Tilapia is a genus of cichlid fishes endemic to freshwater habitats in Southern Africa. In the past this was a very large genus including all species with the common name tilapia, but today the vast majority are placed in other genera.

<i>Teleocichla</i> Genus of fishes

Teleocichla is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae found in the Tapajós, Xingu, Tocantins and Jari River basins, which are part of the Amazon River Basin in Brazil. All species are rheophilic, and highly elongated in shape. They generally are smaller than 9 cm (3.5 in) in length, making them some of the smallest cichlids of the Americas. Only T. preta can grow larger, reaching about 12 cm (4.7 in). Since restricted to areas with fast currents, they are particularly vulnerable to the building of dams, and the Belo Monte Dam may cause the extinction of T. centisquama. Other species recognized as threatened by Brazil's Ministry of the Environment are T. cinderella, T. prionogenys and T. wajapi.

<i>Etia</i> Species of fish

Etia nguti is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Cameroon in Central Africa where it is only known from the Nguti River, a tributary of the Cross-Manyu River. This species can reach up to 13.3 centimetres (5.2 in) in standard length. It is the only member of its genus and tribe.

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<i>Heterochromis</i> Genus of fishes

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<i>Orthochromis</i> Genus of fishes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pseudocrenilabrinae</span> Subfamily of fishes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromidotilapiini</span> Tribe of fishes

Chromidotilapiini is a tribe of small cichlids from tropical West and Middle Africa. There are thirteen genera and over fifty described species in this tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lionhead cichlid</span> Species of fish

The lionhead cichlid, also known as African blockhead, buffalohead, humphead cichlid, lionhead or lumphead is a species of rheophilic cichlid native to Pool Malebo and the Congo River. It uses caves for spawning. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.

<i>Tilapia busumana</i> Species of fish

Tilapia busumana is a species of cichlid native to Lake Bosumtwi, the Bia River Basin, the Pra River Basin and the Tano River Basin in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. This species can reach a length of 18 centimetres (7.1 in) SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. In 2013, research published by Dunz & Schliewen indicated that this species does not belong in the genus Tilapia, but is rather closer to "Steatocranus" irvinei and Gobiocichla. It is currently retained in Tilapia pending further research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellala Falls</span> Waterfall in the Congo river, DRC

The Yellala Falls are a series of waterfalls and rapids on the Congo River just upstream from Matadi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The falls are the lowest of a long series of rapids that render the river unnavigable, forcing colonial explorers to travel by foot as far as the Stanley Pool 350 kilometres (220 mi) upstream. The Congo is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, and the deepest in the world. The section of river that ends with the Yellala falls has over 300 species of fish, many found nowhere else.

Hylopanchax is a genus of poeciliids native to the Congo River Basin and Ivindo River in Middle Africa.

<i>Cichlidogyrus</i> Genus of flatworms

Cichlidogyrus is a genus of monopisthocotylean monogeneans in the family Ancyrocephalidae. The type-species of the genus is Cichlidogyrus arthracanthusPaperna, 1960, by original designation. All the species of the genus are parasites on the gills of fish, namely African Cichlidae, Nandidae and Cyprinodontidae.

<i>Lamprologus congoensis</i> Species of fish

Lamprologus congoensis, the Congo lionhead cichlid is a species of riverine cichlid which is widespread in the Congo River, it is the type species of the genus Lamprologus.

<i>Cichlidogyrus kmentovae</i> Species of flatworm

Cichlidogyrus kmentovae is a species of monopisthocotylean monogenean in the family Ancyrocephalidae. It is a parasite of the gills of the fish Hemichromis stellifer of the lower Basin of River Congo.

<i>Steatocranus bleheri</i> Species of fish

Steatocranus bleheri is species of fish in the cichlid family. It is endemic to the Kafubu River system, which is part of the Luapula drainage in the upper Congo River basin, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

References

  1. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Steatocranus". FishBase . October 2024 version.
  2. 1 2 Dunz, A.R.; Schliewen, U.K. (2013). "Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as "Tilapia"". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 68 (1): 64–80. Bibcode:2013MolPE..68...64D. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.015. PMID   23542002.
  3. Schwarzer, J.; B. Misof; S.N. Ifuta; U.K. Schliewen (2011). "Time and Origin of Cichlid Colonization of the Lower Congo Rapids". PLOS ONE. 6 (7): e22380. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...622380S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022380 . PMC   3140524 . PMID   21799840.
  4. Schwarzer, J.; B. Misof; U.K. Schliewen (2011). "Speciation within genomic networks: a case study based on Steatocranus cichlids of the lower Congo rapids". Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 25 (1): 138–148. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02409.x . PMID   22070232. S2CID   205433610.
  5. Zamba, A.I.; J.D. Weiss; V. Mamonekene; U.K. Schliewen; E.J.W.M.N. Vreven (2022). "Steatocranus masalamasoso, a new species of lionhead cichlid from the Léfini River basin, Congo basin, Africa (Teleostei: Cichlidae)". Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. in press. doi:10.23788/IEF-1130.
  6. Weiss, J.D.; F.D.B. Schedel; A.I. Zamba; E.J.W.M.N. Vreven; U.K. Schliewen (2019). "Paragobiocichla, a new genus name for Gobiochromis irvinei Trewavas, 1943 (Teleostei, Cichlidae)". Spixiana. 42 (1): 133–139.