''Copadichromis geertsi'' is a species of

haplochromine __NOTOC__ The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus ('' Haplochromis'') plus a number of closely related genera such as ''Aulonocara'', ''Astatoti ...

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted th ...

which is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest fres ...

Description

''Copadichromis geertsi'' is a small to medium-sized cichlid, growing to a

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...

of , which shows two, occasionally just one, clear spots on the sides. The males are dark in colour with the upper body varying from light blue to yellow towards the head and on the

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through c ...

. It can be distinguished from other members of the genus ''

Copadichromis ''Copadichromis'' is a genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. ''Copadichromis'' are part of a group known as utaka and are popular with aquarists, as this genus is relatively peaceful in captivity compared to t ...

'' by the two spots, the colour of the breeding males being black with a pale blue to yellow flash on its head and back. The females and non-breeding males do not have the yellow colour in the

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as s ...

seen females and non breeding males of the otherwise similar ''

Copadichromis pleurostigmoides ''Copadichromis pleurostigmoides'' is a species of haplochromine cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labrid ...

'' and they are grey in colour with two black spots.

Distribution

''Copadichromis geertsi'' is endemic to Lake Malawi along the eastern shore from the Nsinje River in Malawi) north as far as Thundu in Mozambique. It has only been recorded from four sites.

Habitat and ecology

''Copadichromis geertsi'' is found in areas of softer substrates mixed with rocks at depths ranging between , and is only occasionally recorded at depths shallower than . The females are sometimes found foraging in groups in open water and single individual females will move between the territories held by the breeding males. This species feeds on small items that it takes from the water column. The breeding males excavate cave crater spawning sites in the mixed habitat below . The spawning site is normally dug out from under and adjacent a rock and has a diameter of . The

territorial A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

male digs out the sand from underneath the rock, piling it up and using it to construct a semicircular wall which surrounds the spawning site. The breeding males normally space their spawning sites from each other. After the females have mated they

mouthbrood Mouthbrooding, also known as oral incubation and buccal incubation, is the care given by some groups of animals to their offspring by holding them in the mouth of the parent for extended periods of time. Although mouthbrooding is performed by a va ...

the fertilised eggs for 30–36 days and when they are ready they move into shallow water where join the schools of juvenile

utaka '' Copadichromis azureus'', one of the utaka of Lake Malawi in Africa Utaka is the term used for open water-dwelling cichlids found in Lake Malawi, the most diverse source of cichlids in the world of aquaria. Among others, they comprise all the m ...

which are frequently found above nests of

kampango The kampango or kampoyo (''Bagrus meridionalis'') is a critically endangered species of large and predatory bagrid catfish that is endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper Shire River in Africa. It prefers areas near rocks in wate ...

(''Bagrus meridionalis''), where they release the free swimming fry.

Human usage

''Copadichromis geertsi'' is found in the aquarium trade, where it is sometimes called "Virginialis blotch". They have been bred in captivity but wild caught adults are still available. Overfishing using open-water

seine net Seine fishing (or seine-haul fishing; ) is a method of fishing that employs a surrounding net, called a seine, that hangs vertically in the water with its bottom edge held down by weights and its top edge buoyed by floats. Seine nets can be de ...

s, of a type called "chirimila nets" in Lake Malawi, is potentially a threat to this species.

Etymology

This species was named in 1999 by the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

ichthyologist Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 33,400 species of fish had been described as of October ...

and cichlid specialist

Ad Konings Adrianus Franciscus Johannes Marinus Maria "Ad" Konings (born 11 January 1956 in Roosendaal, Netherlands) is an ichthyologist originally trained in medicine and biology. Konings is best known for his research on African rift lake cichlids. Afte ...

, in its specific name he honours Martin Geerts of the Dutch Cichlid Association in recognition of his scientific knowledge of cichlids and for the support he gave to Konings during a number of expeditions to Lakes Malawi and

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania M ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3318849 geertsi Taxa named by Ad Konings Fish described in 1999 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Fish of Lake Malawi Fish of Malawi Fish of Mozambique