Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Lepidiolamprologus: Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, lampros = light + Greek, lagos = hare (Ref. 45335); mimicus: Specific epithet from the Latin 'mimicus', in reference to the specific feeding ecology involving imitative coloration..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 2 - 50 m (Ref. 76873). Tropical
Africa: endemic to Lake Tanganyika, known from the Zambian coast between Kasenga and Kapembwa (Ref. 76873), from the Tanzanian coast (Ref. 91764) and from Bulumba Island, DR Congo (Ref. 97302).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 76873)
Dorsal spines (total): 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 5; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 34. Diagnosis: sesamoid bone in the labial ligament present; 2 pores at neurocranial lateral line foramina 0; body depth 23.4–26.2% SL; head length 31.0–33.7% SL; 34 vertebra; interorbital width 17.4–24.5% HL; usually 11 dorsal fin rays; 73-79 longitudinal line scales; 10–12 gill rakers on the first ceratobranchial; color pattern based on three rows of irregular spots; fins bright yellow; very dark, large spots on the flanks, without additional small spots or a complex pattern of spots and worm lines on the head (Ref. 76873).
Occurs mainly along the rocky coast; feeds exclusively on fishes and mainly on young and sub-adults of cyprichromine cichlids; when hunting for prey, it exhibits aggressive mimicry by changing its body coloration; seems to breed in rather deep water (> 30 m); probably monogamous (Ref. 76873).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Schelly, R., T. Takahashi, R. Bills and M. Hori, 2007. The first case of aggressive mimicry among laprologines in a new species of Lepidiolamprologus (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika. Zootaxa 1638:39-49. (Ref. 76873)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.1 ±0.7 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).
