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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Protomelas: Greek, protos = the first + Greek, melas, melanos = black (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 13614), preferred ?; 9°S - 15°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Endemic to the northern and southern parts of Lake Malawi.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4996)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11. Small to medium-sized with the plesiomorphic melanin pattern. Differs from the other species with this pattern in the higher number of gill-rakers (16-18) and in the greater emphasis of the blotches along the dorsum in the overall pattern. Differs further from P. marginatus in the more posterior position of the deepest part of the body.

Favors a sediment-free rocky habitat, where it stays in midwater about one meter away from the substrate. Is normally found just below the surface, rarely deeper than 5 m. Mostly seen at places where the rocky coast drops steeply. Feeds on invertebrates taken from the water and on insects that fall into the water (Ref. 5595).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Maréchal, C., 1991. Protomelas. p. 387-393. 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. 4996)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Aquarium: commercial

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Internet sources

Protomelas spilonotus (Trewavas, 1935)