Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Copadichromis: Greek, kopas, -ados = carved + Chromis, see; insularis: Named from the Latin insularis (adjective), meaning of islands, in reference to the fact that the known populations all occur at islands.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 13 - 18 m (Ref. 57549). Tropical
Africa: Maleri, Chinyankwazi and Chinyamwezi islands in Lake Malawi, Malawi (Ref. 57549).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57549)
Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: 3 lateral spots on body; supra-pectoral spot in contact with upper lateral line; supra-pectoral spot about 1.5 times supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot in contact with upper lateral line; breeding males with wide yellow marginal band in anal fin, blue breast, no black submarginal band in dorsal fin and white margin of dorsal fin (Ref. 57549).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Found in sand/rock interface and over sandy patches around the islands, between 13 and 18m; territorial males build spawning bowl from beneath flat rocks; spawning occurs underneath the rock; females and non-territorial males occur in small groups (up to 10 individuals) and feed on plankton in the water column 1-3 m above the bottom (Ref. 57549).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Stauffer, J.R. and A.F. Konings, 2006. Review of Copadichromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) with the description of a new genus and six new species. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 17(1):9-42. (Ref. 57549)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00674 - 0.03099), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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