Haplochromis Sphex

📖 Overview

Found in waters up to a depth of 10 m both over sand and mud . It fed mainly on phytoplankton (Cyanophyta and Aulacoseira) and occasionally on copepods . This species is a female mouth brooder .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Vertebrae: 29 - 31. Diagnosis: Haplochromis sphex is a small sized (less than 9 cm standard length), slender (body depth less than 32% of standard length) micrognathic species, with mainly bicuspid teeth in the oral jaws; dorsal head profile straight to moderately curved . The colouration of the sexually active males is yellow with blackish longitudinal, interrupted bands and vertical bars, producing a so-called 'chess board pattern'; this pattern also occurs in several oral shelling molluscivores, insectivores and algae scrapers, but these species generally are larger, have a deeper body, have a strongly curved dorsal head profile and a lower jaw length/width ratio of less than 1.5, whereas in Haplochromis sphex it ranges from 1.5 to 2.7 . It differs from other small species with a 'chess board pattern', H. bwathondii and H. sauvagei, by its shallower body; sexually active males of H. sauvagei generally have a more distinct 'chess board pattern' than H. sphex; in contrast to H. sphex, sexually active males of both H. bwathondii and H. sauvagei develop a red chest and belly; the colouration of females and quiescent males of H. sauvagei is rather similar to that of sexually active males of H. sphex . : fusiform / normal.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Haplochromis Sphex is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

This species is a female mouth brooder .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range ? - 10 m . Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🦠 Common Diseases

The following diseases are known to affect Haplochromis Sphex.

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

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