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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Lepidiolamprologus sp. 'hecqui mahale' Miyako Point.jpg Lepidiolamprologus sp. 'hecqui mahale' Siyeswe Bay.jpg
Previous pageLepidiolamprologus sp. 'hecqui mahale' Siyeswe Bay
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Lepidiolamprologus
Biotope: Sandy areas with empty snail shells; shell beds in shallow water, where individuals remain close to the substrate and nesting craters.
Geographic distribution: Mahale area, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania; documented at the northern end of Mahale (including Bulu Point).
Diet: Small piscivorous predator and invertebrate feeder. Feeds while hovering about 5–10 cm above the substrate; stomach contents include invertebrates as well as juveniles of other shell-brooding cichlids.
Breeding: Shell-brooder. Spawning takes place inside one of the female’s shells. The male does not enter the shell but fertilizes the eggs by releasing milt at the shell opening while the female deposits the eggs inside. The male does not participate in guarding the fry. Fry are cryptically colored and initially show only three black spots on the dorsal area; with growth they develop the typical blotchy coloration and a distinct ocellated spot on the dorsal fin. Individuals are always found in association with empty snail shells.
Special notes: The Mahale form was originally considered a geographical variant of Lepidiolamprologus pleuromaculatus, but scale counts (around 53) and a high number of dorsal-fin spines (19–20) align it more closely with Lepidiolamprologus hecqui. It is therefore referred to as Lepidiolamprologus sp. 'hecqui mahale'. This form occupies a niche similar to other small shell-associated Lepidiolamprologus species.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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