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Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Melanochromis: Greek, melas, melanos = black + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: This is a toponym referring to Chipoka Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi, the type locality. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / rango de profundidad / distribution range
Ecología
; agua dulce demersal; pH range: 7.3 - 8.5; dH range: 7 - 18. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 2060); 13°S - 15°S
Africa: endemic to Lake Malawi (Ref. 5663, 89864).
Tamaño / Peso / Age
Madurez: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm SL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 5663)
Short description
Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría
Espinas dorsales (total) : 17 - 18; Radios blandos dorsales (total) : 8 - 9; Espinas anales: 3; Radios blandos anales: 7 - 8. Diagnosis: Females and subadults of Melanochromis chipokae are distinguished from those of all other Melanochromis species by a yellow ground colour and a black submarginal band in the dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 89864). Male M. chipokae in breeding colour have a blue occipital region, a dark-blue/black body with two wide, light-blue horizontal stripes, and a blue dorsal fin with a wide white margin; they differ from males of most Melanochromis species with a similar colour pattern, except M. robustus and M. heterochromis, by the blue occipital region that is black or gray in M. melanopterus, M. vermivorus, M. simulans, M. loriae, M. robustus and M. mossambiquensis (Ref. 89864). Melanochromis chipokae males and females differ from M. robustus by a narrower interorbital width, 17.5-23.3% of head length vas. 26.1-29.6%, and from M. heterochromis by a longer lower jaw, 36.5-38.9% of head length vs. 29.3-34.6% (Ref. 89864).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
It prefers sandy patches among rock (Ref. 5595). In general, only solitary individuals are encountered, wandering through the intermediate habitat searching for larger invertebrates and, perhaps, small fishes (Ref. 89864). It may have suffered over-fishing by collectors of ornamental fishes because this species was rather common in the aquarium hobby more than 20 years ago (Ref. 89864).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Madurez | Reproducción | Puesta | Huevos | Fecundidad | Larva
Female is mouthbrooder.
Maréchal, C., 1991. Melanochromis. p. 258-265. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5663)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Acuario: Comercial
Herramientas
Special reports
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Fuentes de Internet
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Referencia
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).
Nivel trófico (Referencia
69278): 4.2 ±0.73 se; based on food items.
Resiliencia (Referencia
120179): Alto, población duplicada en un tiempo mínimo inferior a 15 meses (tm<1).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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