Cichlid

Diagnosis: A heavily-built large tilapia species with a wide rounded head; dwarf populations exist in some crater lakes, showing bony 'hunger-form' body shape (Ref. 118638). Females and juveniles with grey bodies and 6 or more vertical bars; males have a bright blue, occasionally white or green, 'mask' across the head; when fully ripe, the underside of most of the body can be black, with the upper surface a conspicuous white to pale blue; genital tassel can be long and branched, pinkish to bright yellow; females and non-territorial males are indistinguishable from Oreochromis karongae (Ref. 118638).Description: Length of head35.7-38.0% of standard length; lower pharyngeal toothed area with concave sides; median length of bone 1.26-1.36 times its width and 37.6-40.6% length of head; blade 1.6-2.4 times the median length of the toothed area; length of lower jaw 31.4-34.0% length of head; teeth of jaws in 3-5 rows (Ref. 2).Colouration: Breeding male silvery blue with white and pale blue top of head and dorsum and white dorsal margin (Ref. 2).

Mating behavior includes the T-stand, both partners alternately forming the horizontal part of the T. Eggs are laid in batches and immediately picked up by the female. Fertilization takes place both on the ground and in the mouth. Females brood eggs/young, guarding their fry until about 15 mm (Ref. 2781).

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8 - 10

A semi-pelagic species (Ref. 4967), found in all kinds of habitats but seen mostly in shallow water; it is abundant in the southeastern arm of Lake Malawi, where it occurs in shallow, vegetated bays (Ref. 5595). It feeds on phytoplankton and sometimes from the sediment on the sand; diatoms constitute the major part of its diet (Ref. 5595).

A semi-pelagic species (Ref. 4967), found in all kinds of habitats but seen mostly in shallow water; it is abundant in the southeastern arm of Lake Malawi, where it occurs in shallow, vegetated bays (Ref. 5595). It feeds on phytoplankton and sometimes from the sediment on the sand; diatoms constitute the major part of its diet (Ref. 5595). Major component of the fisheries catch in Lake Malawi (Ref. 118638). IUCN conservation status is endangered, due to declining population trend (Ref. 118638).

fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Oreochromis squamipinnis is a critically endangered species of cichlid fish that is endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and Shire River in East Africa, where found in a wide range of habitats, but especially in shallow water. This species is important to local commercial fisheries and can also be found in the aquarium trade, but it has declined drastically due to overfishing.

This species can reach a standard length of 36 cm (14 in). Females and immatures resemble O. karongae and O. lidole, but mature males have pale upper heads unlike mature males of those species.

It is part of the subgenus Nyasalapia, which are known as chambo. The breeding males in this subgenus have long genital tassels (a 17 cm or 6.7 in long O. squamipinnis had tassels that were 9 cm or 3.5 in), which somewhat resemble fish eggs. During breeding, the female attempts to pick them up with her mouth and this helps the male in fertilizing the female's eggs, already in her mouth. It mainly feeds on phytoplankton, but also eats zooplankton and detritus.

The lepidophagous cichlid Corematodus shiranus is an aggressive mimic of chambo in both color pattern and swimming mode. It is, therefore, able to approach unsuspecting schools of O. squamipinnis and rapidly take a mouthful of scales or fin.