Haplochromis tanaos van Oijen & Witte, 1996

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Max. size:  7.7 cm SL (male/unsexed); 7.6 cm SL (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater; depth range 0 - 10 m
Distribution:  Africa: Lake Victoria.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 14-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-10; Vertebrae: 29-32. Small, slender, laterally compressed body (Ref. 47153). A rather acutely pointed snout (Ref. 47153). Lips not thickened (Ref. 47153). Lower jaw ventral outline almost straight, the rostral outline of lower jaw straight or slightly convex with a smoothly rounded mental area (Ref. 47153). Pectoral fins reaching the anus; extension of dorsal and anal fin about equal, reaching the posterior half of the caudal peduncle (Ref. 47153). All scales on the head are cycloid; scales on rostral part of dorsum cycloid or very weakly ctenoid, caudal part of dorsum with ctenoid scales; scales on flank and caudal peduncle ctenoid; ventral chest scales relatively small and cycloid, lateral chest scales relatively small and weakly ctenoid (Ref. 47153). Live basic color for males is bluish-grey dorsally and silvery white ventrally; females and juveniles have a distinct, relatively thin mid lateral band and the entire dorsal surface of the head in juveniles is rather uniformly greyish pigmented (Ref. 47153). Two continuous longitudinal bands on the body (Ref. 47153).
Biology:  Known from relatively sheltered areas with a sandy substrate in Lake Victoria (Ref. 47153).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 31 March 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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