Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Simochromis: Greek, simo = flattening + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 25°C - ? (Ref. 2059), preferred ?; 3°S - 9°S
Africa: endemic to Lake Tanganyika (Ref. 5694). In the Lukuga River (Lake Tanganyika outflow), known from the Kisimba-Kilia rapids (Ref. 93587).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5694)
Is the largest in the Simochromis group. Adults inhabit rubble areas in shallow water, either solitary or in aggregation, most often not exceeding 5 m in depth and never exceeding 10 m. Adapted to murky water (Ref. 6770). Has a vegetarian menu (Ref. 7343). Females brood their young in the mouth (Ref. 86760).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eggs from the cleavage phase and larvae of up to 1.56 cm TL are mouthbrooded by female parents 6.0 to 9.0 cm SL in size (Ref. 86760).
Maréchal, C. and M. Poll, 1991. Simochromis. p. 454-457. 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. 5694)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm Total Length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.1 se; Based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (22 of 100) .