Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Protomelas: Greek, protos = the first + Greek, melas, melanos = black (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 10 - 18 m. Tropical, preferred ?; 9°S - 17°S
Africa: Occurs in the south end of Lake Malawi, Shire River and Lake Malombe.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4996)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 16 - 17;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 9-11;
Anal
spines: 3;
Anal
soft rays: 9 - 10;
Vertebrae: 31. The strongly marked longitudinal lateral stripes and the tricuspid teeth of the outer rows separate P. triaenodon from all other species of the genus. The color pattern is particularly distinctive in the specimens.
Has been caught over sandy bottoms (Ref. 5595). Frequently taken in ad hoc trawl hauls at 10-15 m but has been found at 35 m (Ref. 267).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
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)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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