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Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Protomelas: Greek, protos = the first + Greek, melas, melanos = black (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Trewavas.
Environnement : milieu / zone climatique / profondeur / gamme de distribution
Écologie
; eau douce benthopélagique. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 13614); 9°S - 15°S
Africa: Endemic to the northern and southern parts of Lake Malawi.
Taille / Poids / Âge
Maturité: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.7 cm TL mâle / non sexé; (Ref. 4996)
Description synthétique
Clés d'identification | Morphologie | Morphométrie
Épines dorsales (Total) : 17; Rayons mous dorsaux (Total) : 10 - 11; Épines anales: 3; Rayons mous anaux: 9 - 11. Small to medium-sized with the plesiomorphic melanin pattern. Differs from the other species with this pattern in the higher number of gill-rakers (16-18) and in the greater emphasis of the blotches along the dorsum in the overall pattern. Differs further from P. marginatus in the more posterior position of the deepest part of the body.
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
Favors a sediment-free rocky habitat, where it stays in midwater about one meter away from the substrate. Is normally found just below the surface, rarely deeper than 5 m. Mostly seen at places where the rocky coast drops steeply. Feeds on invertebrates taken from the water and on insects that fall into the water (Ref. 5595).
Cycle de vie et comportement reproducteur
Maturité | Reproduction | Frai | Œufs | Fécondité | Larves
Maréchal, C., 1991. Protomelas. p. 387-393. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 4996)
Statut dans la liste rouge de l'IUCN (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Menace pour l'homme
Harmless
Utilisations par l'homme
Pêcheries: commercial; Aquarium: Commercial
Outils
Articles particuliers
Télécharger en XML
Sources Internet
Estimations basées sur des modèles
Indice de diversité phylogénétique (Réf.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00671 - 0.03113), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Niveau trophique (Réf.
69278): 3.4 ±0.41 se; based on food items.
Résilience (Réf.
120179): Haut, temps minimum de doublement de population inférieur à 15 mois (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnérabilité de la pêche (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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