Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Protomelas: Greek, protos = the first + Greek, melas, melanos = black (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Trewavas.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 14°S - 15°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: Endemic to Lake Malawi. In 1988, a small population was found at Nkomo Reef, of which one specimen was positively identified. In 1989, a few specimens were seen at Makanjila Point, of which no individuals were caught for positive identification.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4996)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Differs from P. fenestratus and P. taeniolatus in the more specialized form of the jaws, with the dental arch of the premaxilla narrow anteriorly, but spreading laterally at the posterior ends, with rather long anterior teeth, and in the enlargement of the pharyngeal teeth.

Individuals at Nkomo Reef were observed to occur over sand and scattered rocks at a depth of about 17 m. Feeds from the rocks and small pebbles of the environment and also from the zooplankton when this is available (Ref. 5595).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Maréchal, C., 1991. Protomelas. p. 387-393. 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. 4996)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 20 June 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01514 (0.00700 - 0.03275), b=2.97 (2.80 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

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