Tylochromis Aristoma

📖 Overview

Seems to feed primarily upon plants and insect larvae; maternal mouthbrooder that does not pair-bond .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Anal soft rays: 7; Vertebrae: 28 - 29. Diagnosis: deep bodied, robust species with a relatively large mouth (compared to its congeners), but juveniles slender . Slender gracile lower jaw and narrow elongate keel . Dorsum strongly curved from nape to caudal peduncle but ventrum more or less flattened; long snout with a straight and steep predorsal profile passing uninterrupted to origin of dorsal fin, where body depth is largest; lower jaw extremely prominent; lips well-formed but not overly thickened or fleshy; entire premaxillary oral flap present; buccal teeth capped with brown or black enameloid; in juveniles all teeth small and fine with little differentiation in tooth size between inner and outer rows; in adult (male) teeth coarse and enlarged; upper branch of lateral line terminates in advance of end of dorsal fin; dorsal, ventral and medial lateral line branches on caudal fin well developed and almost reach to periphery; dorsal fin spines increase in length to 4th-5th and are then more or less of equal length; anal fin rounded; caudal fin roundly emarginate and densely scaled; pectoral fin relatively elongate and usually reaches level of first soft anal ray; first branched pelvic ray produced and filamentous . Coloration: adult male: upper lip and front of head black . Just anterior to a short black nape stripe a patch of red/gold is present . Cheeks, operculum and breast silvery-white with greenish iridescent parts . Just behind nape band a broad pale blue/green band extends obliquely down to base of pelvic fins . Behind this oblique band body dark (golden) bronze which becomes more greenish towards caudal peduncle . Darker pigmentation on flank scales; dorsal, pelvic and anal fins dark reddish brown, with numerous rows of small greenish dots . Caudal fin light brown centrally, with more reddish parts in distal (outer) regions and many small black lines . (Preserved) juveniles: ground coloration light brown with dark smokey grey upper lip and front of head; nape band strongly marked but not reaching down onto operculum; diffuse opercular blotch present on lower portion of operculum; 6 vertical stripes extend down well below midline and onto belly and ventrum (especially in the smallest specimens) .

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Tylochromis Aristoma is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Tylochromis Aristoma is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Tylochromis Aristoma is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

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