Haplochromis piceatus
Haplochromis piceatus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cichliformes |
Family: | Cichlidae |
Genus: | Haplochromis |
Species: | H. piceatus
|
Binomial name | |
Haplochromis piceatus | |
Synonyms | |
|
Haplochromis piceatus is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Victoria in East Africa.[2] Although listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, surveys since 2005 have failed to find it in its home lake and it is possibly extinct in the wild.[3][4] Captive "safety populations" are maintained at several public aquariums.[4][5]
This species can reach a standard length of 9 cm (3.5 in).[2] Males are bluish-black with orange fins and females are grayish. The species generally resembles H. cinereus and H. macrops, also from Lake Victoria, but it differs in having a longer jaw and a higher gill raker count.[5] In the wild it was typically found over a muddy bottom at depths of about 14–18 m (46–59 ft) where it fed on zooplankton and insect larvae, but captives will eat a wide range of standard aquarium fish food.[2][5]
References
[edit]- ^ Witte, F.; de Zeeuw, M.P.; Brooks, E. (2010). "Haplochromis piceatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T61189A12440462. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T61189A12440462.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Haplochromis piceatus" in FishBase. September 2019 version.
- ^ Sayer, C.A.; L. Máiz-Tomé; W.R.T. Darwall (2018). Freshwater biodiversity in the Lake Victoria Basin: Guidance for species conservation, site protection, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods. Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. doi:10.2305/IUCN.CH.2018.RA.2.en. ISBN 9782831718965.
- ^ a b Rutger, H. (27 March 2018). "Thus fish in Mote Aquarium may be extinct in the wild – and it has quite a backstory". Mote Aquarium. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Hemdal, J.; E. McMullin (2013). "Husbandry of a Lake Victoria cichlid, the Pitch-black fulu Haplochromis piceatus, in public aquariums: a 20 year retrospective". Int. Zoo Yearb. 47: 112–119. doi:10.1111/izy.12012.