• Login
     
    View Item 
    •   ORFEO Home
    • Royal Museum for Central Africa
    • RMCA publications
    • View Item
    •   ORFEO Home
    • Royal Museum for Central Africa
    • RMCA publications
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Grasping ecological opportunities: not one but five paedophagous species of Haplochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) in the Lake Edward system

    Authors
    Vranken, N.
    Van Steenberge, M.
    Snoeks, J.
    Discipline
    Biological sciences
    Subject
    Vertebrates
    Audience
    Scientific
    Date
    2019
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Description
    The Lake Edward system in Eastern Central Africa, including Lakes Edward and George and their associated rivers, is home to a species assemblage of endemic haplochromine cichlids. Currently, 36 of these species have been formally described, while it is estimated that the system may harbour a total of 60 species. Species flocks of haplochromine cichlids are morphologically and ecologically very diverse and have radiated into many specialised trophic niches. Paedophagy is the feeding on eggs and larvae. In Haplochromis, most paedophages steal fry and eggs from the buccal cavities of mouthbrooding female cichlids. Hitherto, one formally described species with this diet is known from the Lake Edward system: Haplochromis taurinus. We performed a morphometrical revision of all species of Haplochromis from this system with a morphology that suggests a paedophagous diet: long oral jaws set with small teeth. Sixty-eight specimens were studied by taking 28 measurements and 20 counts and by performing stomach content observations. We discovered that H. paradoxus also had a paedophagous diet. Our analyses further revealed the presence of three new species: H. gracilifur sp. nov., H. molossus sp. nov., and H. relictidens sp. nov. All five of these species were described or redescribed.
    Citation
    Vranken, N.; Van Steenberge, M.; Snoeks, J. (2019). Grasping ecological opportunities: not one but five paedophagous species of Haplochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) in the Lake Edward system. , Hydrobiologia, Vol. 832, 105-134, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3742-5.
    Identifiers
    uri: https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/12339
    doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3742-5
    Type
    Article
    Peer-Review
    Yes
    Language
    eng
    Links
    NewsHelpdeskBELSPO OA Policy

    Browse

    All of ORFEOCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesDisciplinesThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesDisciplines
     

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Send Feedback | Cookie Information
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV