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Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Astatotilapia: Greek, astato = unstable + Bechuana, African native thiape = fish (Ref. 45335); tweddlei: Named for Mr. Denis Tweddle, Malawi Fisheries Research Unit, in recognition of his valuable contributions to the zoogeography of Malawi as well as his appreciation of the fact that the Lake Chilwa-Chiuta fauna contained a new haplochromine species (Ref. 49182).
Issue
This species is placed in the genus Haplochromis Hilgendorf, 1888 in Eschmeyer (CofF ver. Mar. 2011: Ref. 86697). We keep the lacustrine and riverine "Haplochromine" species in the genus Haplochromis only for the Lake Victoria catchment following Van Oijen et al. (1996: Ref. 12750), until a new complete taxonomic revision is published.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 14°S - 16°S
Africa: Lakes Chilwa and Chiuta and in flowing rivers (Ref. 4983, 49182).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 49182)
Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 28 - 30. Diagnosis: A species of Astatotilapia with a relatively slender body, its depth 32-37% of standard length; snout pointed; mouth large, oblique, lower jaw 37-45% of head length; caudal fin well rounded, slender, maximum width when extended 75-80% of its length; caudal peduncle longer than deep, its length/depth 1.10-1.44; chest scales relatively small, 12-14 in mid-ventral line between the row's origin on the isthmus and its termination between pelvic fins; colouration of breeding males distinctive with a well-marked series of maroon red spots along flanks, in parallel rows along scale rows except rows on and above upper lateral line (Ref. 49182).
Inhabits swampy lakes and slow streams (Ref. 4967). The maximum length of 110 cm given by Eccles (1992) [Ref. 4967] is apparently a mistake, maybe for 11.0 cm.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Mouthbrooding by females.
van Oijen, M.J.P., J. Snoeks, P.H. Skelton, C. Maréchal and G.G. Teugels, 1991. Haplochromis. p. 100-184. 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. 4983)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01514 (0.00700 - 0.03275), b=2.97 (2.80 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.3 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).
