''Melanochromis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

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'', '' Astatotila ...

cichlid Cichlids () are a large, diverse, and widespread family of percomorph fish in the family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families, with on ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

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

Eastern Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

Ecological Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Ecology overlaps with the closely re ...

ly, they belong to the rock-dwelling

mbuna Mbuna (pronounced Mmm-boo-nah ) is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi, and are members of the haplochromine tribe within the family Cichlidae. The name ''mbuna'' means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga pe ...

cichlids of Lake Malawi. ''Melanochromis'' are typically small, slim but muscular fishes with lengthwise stripes of black, yellow and blue. They usually display strong

sexual dichromatism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecious species, which consis ...

Species

There are currently 15 recognized species in this genus: * '' Melanochromis auratus'' (

Boulenger Boulenger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Boulenger (born 1990), French footballer * Edward George Boulenger (1888–1946), British zoologist, director of aquarium at London Zoo * George Albert Boulenger (1858– ...

, 1897) (Golden Mbuna, Auratus Cichlid, Malawi Golden Cichlid) * '' Melanochromis baliodigma''

Bowers Bowers may refer to: Persons *Bowers (surname) Places ;Antarctica * Bowers Mountains * Bowers Piedmont Glacier ;United Kingdom * Bowers, Staffordshire, England * Bowers Gifford, Essex, England ;United States * Bowers, Delaware * Bowers, India ...

& Stauffer, 1997 * '' Melanochromis chipokae'' D. S. Johnson, 1975 * '' Melanochromis dialeptos''

& Stauffer, 1997 * '' Melanochromis heterochromis''

& Stauffer, 1993 * '' Melanochromis kaskazini'' Konings-Dudin,

Konings Konings is a Dutch surname and may refer to: *Ad Konings (b. 1956), Dutch ichthyologist * Anthony Konings (1821–1884), Dutch Catholic priest and Redemptorist professor * Jean Konings (1886–1974), Belgian sprinter *Giovanni Matteo Koning ...

& Stauffer, 2009 * '' Melanochromis lepidiadaptes''

& Stauffer, 1997 * '' Melanochromis loriae'' D. S. Johnson, 1975 * '' Melanochromis melanopterus'' Trewavas, 1935 * '' Melanochromis mossambiquensis'' Konings-Dudin,

& Stauffer, 2009 * '' Melanochromis mpoto''

& Stauffer, 2012. * ''

Melanochromis robustus ''Melanochromis robustus'' is a species of cichlid in the Cichlidae endemic to Lake Malawi. This species can reach a length of TL. References robustus Robustus, robust in Latin, may refer to: * '' Atheris squamiger robustus'', a subspec ...

'' D. S. Johnson, 1985 * '' Melanochromis simulans'' Eccles, 1973 * '' Melanochromis vermivorus'' Trewavas, 1935 (Purple Mbuna) * '' Melanochromis wochepa'' Konings-Dudin,

& Stauffer, 2009

References

Haplochromini * Cichlid genera Taxa named by Ethelwynn Trewavas {{Pseudocrenilabrinae-stub