Copadichromis ilesi Konings 1999

Depth of body 2.6-2.9 times in SL; head length 3.1-3.4 times in SL (Ref. 47113). Eye diameter 2.9-3.2 times in HL; interorbital width 3.4-4.1 times in HL; premaxillary pedicel 2.4-3.1 times in HL and depth of preorbital 5.6-7.0 in HL (Ref. 47113). Teeth in 2 to 3 rows in upper and 3 to 4 rows in lower jaw (Ref. 47113). Males mostly with unicuspid teeth in all rows; in females outer rows contain unequally bicuspid and inner rows contain unequally tricuspid teeth (Ref. 47113). Length of pectoral fin 2.8-3.7 times in SL (Ref. 47113). Caudal peduncle 5.4-7.6 times in SL; peduncle depth 1.0-1.5 times in its length (Ref. 47113). Scales: 34-35 scales in a longitudinal series (Ref. 47113). Without spots on the flanks (Ref. 47113). Geographical variation seems to be restricted to the color of the blaze on the male's head and dorsal fin (Ref. 47113).

The spawning site usually is constructed under and against a rock or small group of rocks; the male excavates the sand from beneath the rock and heaps it up, building a semicircular wall around the spawning site, sometimes leaving just a narrow opening to the nest (Ref. 47113). The spawning sites are usually about 2 meters apart (Ref. 47113).

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 10 - 11

Associated with rocks (Ref. 54524). Males build their spawning sites at depths of approximately 25 meters or deeper; females, in particular mouth brooding females, can be found in shallower water, but they rarely venture into regions shallower than 10 meters (Ref. 47113).

Copadichromis ilesi is a species of haplochromine cichlid, which is endemic to Lake Malawi, where it is widespread, although not recorded from Mozambique. The specific name of this species honours the British fisheries scientist and ichthyologis Thomas Derrick Iles (1927-2017).