Coptodon Deckerti
📖 Overview
Pair-bonding, open substrate brooder/spawner with both parents guarding the brood . It breeds in shallow water above 2 m water depth, where pairs excavate shallow pits often close to stones, branches or similar structures . Coptodon cf. deckerti observed to primarily feed upon zooplankton, copepods and small amounts of insect larvae; juveniles were observed nibbling on fins of Sarotherodon species .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Diagnosis: Coptodon deckerti differs from its congeners except for a few members of the genus Coptodon in quadricuspid posterior pharyngeal teeth on lower pharyngeal jaw, a character shared only with Coptodon tholloni, C. cameronensis, C. dageti, C. congica, C. ejagham, and C. nigrans . It differs from C. cameronensis and C. dageti in lower length of dorsal fin base, 50.6-54.7% of standard length vs. 57.2-65.0%; from C. tholloni in higher predorsal distance, 41.2-46.1% of standard length vs. 35.6-40.7%; from C. congica in lower body depth, 36.0-40.0% of standard length vs. 41.5-49.2%; from C. kottae in narrower interorbital width, 9.4-12.2% of standard length vs. 12.4-14.0%; and from C. ismailiaensis in longer lower jaw length, 13.8-16.5% of standard length vs. 11.8-12.0% . Differences to C. nigrans are based on a combination of morphometric, life history, genetic and ecological data, i.e. a shorter snout length, 12.7-15.6% of standard length vs. 15.8-18.2%, by breeding exclusively in the shallow water above 2 m water depth vs. excavated caves below 5 m depth, largest reproductively active C. deckerti specimen are smaller than smallest reproductively active specimens of C. nigrans, 60.2-102.2 mm standard length vs. 105.5-151.5 mm . It differs from C. ejagham in larger eye length, 8.5-10.7% of standard length vs. 6.2-8.4% . : fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Coptodon Deckerti is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tilapia deckerti | Thys van den Audenaerde | 1967 | Synonym |
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Coptodon Deckerti.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 9 records indexed .
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