Haplochromis Simba

📖 Overview

Found in inshore areas over hard substrates . Based on its morphology, most probably a piscivorous species .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 14 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 30 - 31. Diagnosis: Species with a piscivorous morphology; premaxillary pedicel and mental prominences strongly developed; outer oral teeth few and large, 22-31; dominant males yellow with an orange anterior part of flank . Amongst piscivorous species from the Lake Edward system, Haplochromis simba differs from H. latifrons, H. mentatus, and H. glaucus by the combination of a narrower interorbital area, interorbital width 45.5-50.4% of head width vs. 50.9-63.3%; and a strongly developed vs. absent or weakly developed mental prominence; it further differs from H. latifrons by a longer anal fin base, 17.3-19.0% of standard length vs. 14.7-17.3%; and absence vs. presence of a well-defined mid-lateral band; further from H. mentatus by a smaller number of outer upper jaw teeth, 22-31 vs. 28-46; and dominant males yellow with an orange anterior part of flank vs. green-yellow with a red anterior part of flank; further from H. glaucus by a narrower lower pharyngeal element, lower pharyngeal width 83.8-87.9% of lower pharyngeal length vs. 93.3-95.1%; and dominant males yellow with an orange anterior part of flank vs. uniformly light-blue . It differs from H. rex and H. aquila by the combination of a smaller number of scales between first anal-fin spine and upper lateral line, 9-11 vs. 12-16, rarely 11; and a strongly developed vs. absent or weakly developed mental prominence; it further differs from H. rex by a lower number of longitudinal line scales, 32-33 vs. 34-38; and dominant males uniformly yellow with an orange anterior part of flank vs. cream-coloured with an orange operculum and a light blue snout; further from H. aquila by a smaller eye, eye diameter 26.7-29.5% of head length vs. 30.0-31.5%; and dominant males yellow with an orange anterior part of flank and a yellow head vs. uniformly light grey with a black head . It differs from H. kimondo, H. falcatus, H. curvidens, H. pardus, H. quasimodo, and H. squamipinnis by the combination of large vs. small outer oral teeth and a smaller number of outer upper jaw teeth, 22-31 vs. 39-79; it further differs from H. falcatus, H. curvidens, and H. pardus by a deeper lacrimal, lacrimal depth 18.7-20.5% of head length vs. 16.0-18.8%; further from H. kimondo and H. quasimodo by a narrower head, head width 39.5-41.5% of head length vs. 42.0-48.1%; further from H. squamipinnis by absence vs. presence of minute scales on proximal part of dorsal fin .

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Haplochromis Simba is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🦠 Common Diseases

The following diseases are known to affect Haplochromis Simba.

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

👥 Community & Contribute