Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Trematocara marginatum (unknown locality)

Tribe / Genus:	Trematocarini / Trematocara
Type locality:	Moliro, Zaire (Congo), Lake Tanganyika.
Biotope:	Benthopelagic deep-water habitats over sand and mud substrates. During the day it occurs at depths up to about 90 m, while at night it migrates to much shallower sandy areas.
Geographic distribution:	Lake-wide distribution in Lake Tanganyika and considered the most common member of the genus.
Typical adult size:	Up to about 10 cm total length.
Sexual dimorphism:	There is no size difference between the sexes. Males show a species-specific melanin pattern in breeding coloration, while females are mainly silvery with a small black spot at the beginning of the dorsal fin and lighter fins.
Diet:	Feeds mainly on easily digestible invertebrates such as diatoms, insect larvae, mites, ostracods, and eggs. Most food is taken from the water column at night, sometimes also from the substrate, using an enlarged sensory system on the head to detect prey movement.
Breeding:	Maternal mouthbrooder. Males are territorial and likely form leks, defending small spawning pits in the substrate. Spawning usually occurs in the early morning, with up to about 30 relatively large eggs laid and collected by the female. Incubation lasts approximately 3–4 weeks, after which the female releases free-swimming fry and provides no further care.
Aggression:	Generally peaceful. Aggression is mainly limited to reproductively active males toward each other during spawning periods.
Special notes:	This species is the most common representative of the genus Trematocara and is adapted to deep-water life, including diel vertical migrations and enhanced sensory systems for low-light conditions.