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Labeotropheus aurantinfra Phiri & Pauers, 2023 |
| Family: | Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae | |||
| Max. size: | 11.48 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater | |||
| Distribution: | Africa: Malawi. | |||
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 17-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Diagnosis: Labeotropheus aurantinfra differs from all other Labeotropheus due to the extensive distribution of orange pigmentation throughout the body, including the maxilla, the preopercular margin, the branchiostegals, the gular and anterior abdomen region, and the flanks; although orange pigmentation is more common and more extensive in males, it is also present in the same body regions in females (Ref. 128773). It differs from the slender-bodied Labeotropheus, L. trewavasae, L. simoneae, L. chirangali, but not L. rubidorsalis, due to its greater body depth, 33.8-41.5% of standard length vs. 26.3-33.4% in L. trewavasae, 26.9-30.8% in L. simoneae and 26.6-33.2% in L. chirangali; while L. aurantinfra does have a deeper body than L. rubidorsalis, the ranges overlap, 33.8-41.5% of standard length vs. 31.6-36.1%; Labeotropheus aurantinfra has a greater distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and the attachment of the pelvic fins, 33.4-40.4% of standard length vs. 31.5-35.4%, a shorter lower jaw, 22.5-31.6% of head length vs. 29.9-38.5%, more rows of teeth in the upper jaw, 4-6 vs. 3-4, and a greater total number of gillrakers, 10-15 vs. 9-11, than L. rubidorsalis (Ref. 128773). The primary distinction between L. aurantinfra and the other robust-bodied Labeotropheus is the unique distribution of yellow-orange pigmentation across the body, especially in the males; the morphometric and meristic values largely overlap with the other robust Labeotropheus, although there are some distinctions; Labeotropheus aurantinfra has a typically greater distance between the tip of the snout and the origin of the dorsal fin than L. fuelleborni, 31.8-37.4% of standard length vs. 30.7-33.8%, a typically greater distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and the insertion of the anal fin than L. fuelleborni, 60.8-69.5% of standard length vs. 55.1-64.9%, and typically more anal-fin rays than L. fuelleborni, 7-9 vs. 6-7; compared to L. chlorosiglos, L. aurantinfra has a greater eye diameter, 23.5-32.4% of head length vs. 22.6-25.5%, a longer rostral length, 36.1-51.1% of head length vs. 34.7-41.1%, a greater pectoral width, 13.2-18.9% of standard length vs. 12.7-14.3%, and a greater number of scale rows between the pectoral and pelvic fins, 9-12 vs. 6-9; it differs from L. artatorostris due to its greater rostral length, 36.1-51.1% of head length vs. 22.9-43.7%, a larger snout pad, 10.5-19.4% of head length vs. 7.4-16.1%, and more infraorbital neuromasts, 25-40 vs. 12-36; it differs from L. obscurus due to a typically shorter lower jaw, 22.5-31.6% of head length vs. 27.6-40.4%, a greater number of rows of teeth in the upper jaw, 4-6 vs. 3-4, and a greater number of teeth in the left half of the lower jaw, 24-37 vs. 20-26; it differs from L. candipygia due to a greater distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and the insertion of the anal fin, 60.7-69.6% of standard length vs. 50.6-66.8%, and a greater head depth, 86.0-116.6% of head length vs. 87.9-108.1% (Ref. 128773). Description: Compressiform body with expanded ovoid shape; depth typical for a robust Labeotropheus, 33.8-41.5% of standard length, and body consistently deep throughout its length; body wide at pectoral fin and opercular tabs (Ref. 128773). Scales on belly and anterior abdomen cycloid and tightly crowded; flank scales ctenoid; exposed portion of scale fan-shaped and approximately hexagonal; anterior lateral line overlapping posterior lateral line by 0-3 scales; anterior lateral line scales 19-25, posterior lateral line scales 9-14; dorso-lateral scale rows 7-10, pectoro-pelvic scale rows 9-12 (Ref. 128773). Dorsal fin long, 56.3-62.9% of standard length; 17-19 spines and 7-9 rays; first dorsal spineanterior to or opposite opercular tab; dorsal rays 3, 4, 5 long, reaching to hypural and beyond; anal fin angular and kite-shaped; anal rays 3, 4, 5 long in males, reaching past caudal peduncle to caudal fin; most female specimens with short anal-fin rays, reaching only to caudal peduncle; anal-fin origin opposite dorsal-fin spine 14, 15 or 16; anal-fin insertion anterior to or opposite dorsal-fin insertion; caudal fin subtruncate; pectoral fin long and rounded, 12-14 rays; pelvic fin long, minimally reaching origin of anal fin and longer in most specimens, especially in mature males; pelvic ray slightly produced and filamentous in all specimens; pelvic-fin attachment opposite dorsal-fin spine 5 or 6 (Ref. 128773). Head short, 29.1-38.8% of standard length, and deep with strongly curved profile and prominent snout; some specimens with concavity above eye; snout long and wide, typical of Labeotropheus, with long snout pad, 10.5-19.4% of head length; cheek deep with 3-4 scale rows; infraorbital pores 8-10 with 15-67 neuromasts among them; oral jaws short and wide; oral teeth tricuspid and closely set on both upper and lower; 5-11 tricuspid teeth on lateral portion of left upper jaw (Ref. 128773). Gill rakers stout, triangular, and widely spaced; 7-10 ceratobranchial and 1-3 epibranchial gill rakers on first gill arch; all specimens with 1 raker between the cerato- and epibranchial rakers (Ref. 128773). Colouration: Colouration of males: all males with orange pigmentation on maxilla, preopercular margin, branchiostegals, gular region, and anterior abdomen, extending across ventrum in most individuals; operular tab metallic blue-green or metallic green; head, operculum, dorsum bright sky blue in most individuals, rarely a dull grey blue; scales of flank and caudal peduncle sky blue or grey blue, ringed with orange; orange ring may be thin, with blue predominating, or may cover the entire scale; in some individuals, orange may extend over entire body, including head, flank, and caudal peduncle; in these individuals, head and dorsum with brown or greenish sheen; 11 faint bars visible across flank and caudal peduncle; dorsal fin predominantly bluish white; proximal portion of dorsal fin may have orange patches extending from dorsum; trailing edge of dorsal fin orange; caudal fin blue proximally, grading to black at the distal end; thin yellow trailing edge; anal fin white or whitish grey with several (3-8) orange yellow eggspots; pelvic fin pale red or orange with bright white leading edge; prominent black band separating leading edge from posterior colour (Ref. 128773). Colouration of females: Head, body, and caudal peduncle uniformly light grey, with 11 faint dark bars extending across flank and caudal peduncle; opercular tab black with metallic green sheen; orange pigmentation on maxilla, preopercular margin, branchiostegals, gular region, and anterior abdomen, though not as prominent as on males; scales of flank and caudal peduncle with small orange spots close to insertion of scale; throat and branchiostegals white; dorsal fin whitish grey; caudal fin brownish grey; anal fin whitish grey with 1-2 yellow eggspots; pelvic fin white or hyaline, with bright white leading edge and pale orange between (Ref. 128773). In preservative, males uniformly dark brown or grey with 11 faint vertical bars across the flank and caudal peduncle on some specimens, some individuals with brown spotsor rings on scales of flank and ventrum; females uniformly dark brown or grey with 11 faint vertical bars visible across the flank and caudal peduncle on some specimens (Ref. 128773). |
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| Biology: | ||||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||