[Paleontology • 2002] Shenzhouraptor sinensis • An Early Cretaceous avialan bird from Western Liaoning, China

Shenzhouraptor sinensis fossil displayed in Hong Kong Science Museum

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/热河鸟 

Abstract

The text describes a new specimen of the Avialae from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Fm. of Liaoning Province, China.  The specimen is edentulous, its forelimb is distinctly longer than its hind limb, the tail is composed of over 20 caudals, the furcula is U-shaped, and flight feathers exceed torso length.  These characters express a genuine ability for flight, such that the new specimen represents a transitional phase between the Dinosauria and Aves and is formally erected as Shenzhouraptor sinensis gen. et sp. nov.

Ji; Ji, Ji; You, Zhang; Zhang, Zhang; Yuan 2003. An Early Cretaceous avialan bird, Shenzhouraptor sinensis from Western Liaoning, China. Acta Geologica Sinica 77 (1): 21–27.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-6724.2003.tb00106.x/abstract

http://www.geosociety.org/geoventures/professionals/2007/Discoverypaper.pdf

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/热河鸟 

[Paleontology • 2002] Jeholornis prima • A long-tailed, seed-eating bird from the Early Cretaceous of China

The lacustrine deposits of the Yixian and Jiufotang Formations in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Group in the western Liaoning area of northeast China are well known for preserving feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds and mammals. Here we report a large basal bird, Jeholornis prima gen. et sp. nov., from the Jiufotang Formation. This bird is distinctively different from other known birds of the Early Cretaceous period in retaining a long skeletal tail with unexpected elongated prezygopophyses and chevrons, resembling that of dromaeosaurids providing a further link between birds and non-avian theropods. Despite its basal position in early avian evolution, the advanced features of the pectoral girdle and the carpal trochlea of the carpometacarpus of Jeholornis indicate the capability of powerful flight. The dozens of beautifully preserved ovules of unknown plant taxa in the stomach represents direct evidence for seed-eating adaptation in birds of the Mesozoic era.

Zhou, Z.-H. and Zhang, F.-C. 2002. A long-tailed, seed-eating bird from the Early Cretaceous of China. Nature, 418(6896): 405-409. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature00930

[Ichthyology • 2009] Danionella priapus • a new species of miniature cyprinid fish (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from West Bengal, India

Abstract

Danionella priapus, a new species of sexually dimorphic miniature cyprinid from the Brahmaputra drainage in India, is distinguished from the other three species in the genus by the presence in adult males of a conical projection of the genital papilla situated between funnel-shaped pelvic fins, the number of anal- and pectoral-fin rays, and the position of insertion of the last anal-fin pterygiophore. It differs further from D. translucida and D. mirifica in details of the colour pattern, from D. dracula and D. mirifica in number of procurrent caudal-fin rays, from D. translucida in number of vertebrae and from D. dracula in several skeletal characters. Like the other species in the genus, D. priapus shows a developmentally truncated skeleton that is associated with several evolutionary morphological novelties. The present distribution of the Danionella species may be the result of a vicariance event in the early Miocene, when the tectonicuplift of eastern Tibet and the Indo-Burman ranges lead to the interruption of the palaeo-connection between the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) and the upper Irrawaddy Rivers.

Key words: miniature fishes, developmental truncation, evolutionary novelty, vicariance

Dorsal and ventral view of the colour pattern of Danionella priapus head and anterior body. Holotype: BMNH 2009.9.9.1, male, 14.4mm SL. (Images: Ralf Britz, Natural History Museum)

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/collections/collecting/danionella-priapus/index.html

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/collections/collecting/danionella-priapus/taxonomy/index.html

http://ig-bssw.org/?p=1584

Britz, R. 2009. Danionella priapus, a new species of miniature cyprinid fish from West Bengal, India (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa, 2277: 53–60.: http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/z02277p060f.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2009] Danionella dracula • Spectacular morphological novelty in a miniature cyprinid fish from northern Myanmar

Abstract

Danionella dracula is a new species of sexually dimorphic, miniature and highly developmentally truncated cyprinid fish. Compared with its close relative, the zebrafish Danio rerio, it lacks 44 bones or parts thereof and represents one of the most developmentally truncated vertebrates. Absence of the majority of bones appears to be due to developmental truncation via terminal deletion. In contrast to these larval-like features, D. dracula also shows several hyperossifications. Uniquely, among carp-like fishes, male D. dracula have a series of long, pointed odontoid processes on the jaws greatly resembling the jaw dentition of teleosts with true teeth. The anterior-most process in each jaw is extended as a canine-like fang projecting through the epithelium. True jaw teeth are absent from all 3700 species of cypriniforms and were lost at least in the Upper Eocene. It remains to be investigated, however, whether the conserved pathways to regulate tooth development in cypriniforms have been used in D. dracula to form and pattern the odontoid processes. This new species represents a remarkable example linking progenetic paedomorphosis via heterochronic change in developmental timing to the evolution of morphological novelties.

Keywords: Danionella, Cypriniformes, jaw teeth, miniaturization, developmental truncation, evolutionary novelty

Ralf Britz, Kevin W. Conway, Lukas Rüber. 2009. Spectacular morphological novelty in a miniature cyprinid fish, Danionella dracula n. sp. . The Royal Society. : http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.0141

NHM Species of the Day: Danionella dracula  

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/collections/collecting/danionella-dracula/index.html

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/staff-directory/zoology/r-britz/index.html

http://www.baanmaha.com/community/thread33829.html

[Ichthyology • 2003] Danionella mirifica • a new species of miniature fish (Ostariophysi: Cyprinidae) from Upper Myanmar

An undescribed Danionella. Picture by Choy Heng Wah.
http://budak.blogs.com/the_annotated_budak/2006/01/paedocypris_pro.html

Danionella mirifica, new species, is distinguished from its only congener D. translucida in having a more elongate body (body depth 12.2-14.8 % SL vs. 18.5-24.4 % SL), 36-37 vertebrae (vs. 32-33), 17-20 anal-fin rays (vs. 12-14), a single ventromedian row of large melanophores between pelvic fins and tips of cleithra (vs. paired ventral paramedian rows of smaller melanophores between pelvics and tips of cleithra), and in lacking scattered small melanophores on ventrolateral side of abdomen (vs. presence of these melanophores). Although slightly larger than D. translucida, D. mirifica is still one of the smallest freshwater fishes.

Britz, Ralf. 2003. Danionella mirifica, a new species of miniature fish from Upper Myanmar (Ostariophysi: Cyprinidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters 14 (3): 217–222.  http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief14_3_03.pdf

[Ichthyology • 1986] Danionella translucida • a new genus and species of cyprinid fish from Burma, one of the Smallest Living Vertebrates

Abstract

Danionella translucida, a new genus and species of danioin cyprinid fishes, is described from Burma. Females are mature at 10–11 mm standard length, and the largest known specimen is only 12 mm. Ripe eggs are few in number and relatively large, 0.4–0.6 mm in diameter. Adults are scaleless and largely transparent, with a complex pattern of large melanophores on the ventral surface of the abdomen. Specializations observed in skeletal preparations include the danioin notch in the medial surface of the mandibles; a large maxillo-mandibulary cartilage; a cartilage (epibranchial 5?) uniting the branchial arches 4 and 5; pharyngeal bones with a single row of 4 tricuspid teeth; and pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins with fewer rays than reported or observed in any other members of the family Cyprinidae.

Keywords:  Danioins - Transparency - Eggs - Skeletal anatomy - Alcian blue-alizarin red preparations - Danioin notch - Maxillo-mandibulary cartilage - Weberian apparatus - Cyprinid vertebral formulae

Roberts, Tyson R. 1986. "Danionella translucida, a new genus and species of cyprinid fish from Burma, one of the smallest living vertebrates". Environmental Biology of Fishes 16 (4): 231–241. doi:10.1007/BF00842977.  http://springerlink.com/content/k3h6537617ph1288

Photo: http://www.aquaportal.bg/site/news.php?id=90

[Ichthyology • 2007] Celestichthys margaritatus | Celestial Pearl Danio • a new genus and species of colourful minute Cyprinid fish (Pisces: Cypriniformes) from the Salween basin, northeast of Inle Lake, northern Myanmar

Celestichthys margaritatus | Celestial Pearl Danio

ABSTRACT

 Celestichthys margaritatus, a new genus and species of Danioinae, is described from a rapidly developing locality in the Salween basin about 70–80 km northeast of Inle Lake in northern Myanmar. Males and females are strikingly colouful. It is apparently most closely related to two danioins endemic to Inle, Microrasbora rubescens and “Microrasbora” erythromicron. The latter species may be congeneric with the new species. The new genus is identified as a danioin by specializations on its lower jaw and its numerous anal fin rays. The colouration, while highly distinctive, seems also to be characteristically danioin. The danioin notch (Roberts, 1986; Fang, 2003) is reduced or absent, but the danioin mandibular flap and bony knob (defined herein) are present. The anal fin has iii81/2–101/2 rays. In addition to its distinctive body spots and barred fins the new fish is distinguished from other species of danioins by the following combination of characters: snout and mouth extremely short; premaxillary with an elongate and very slender ascending process; mandible foreshortened; body deep, with rounded dorsal and anal fins; modal vertebral count 15+16=31; caudal fin moderately rather than deeply forked; principal caudal fin rays 9/8; scales vertically ovoid; and pharyngeal teeth conical, in three rows

KEY WORDS. – Hopong; principal caudal fin rays; danioin mandibular notch, knob, and pad; captive breeding.

Etymology. – The generic name Celestichthys, gender masculine, is from the Latin caelestis, “heavenly”; and Greek ichthys, masculine, “fish”. The species or trivial name margaritatus is Latin for “adorned with pearls.” Used as a noun in apposition.

Roberts, Tyson R. 2007. "The "celectial pearl danio", a new genus and species of colourful minute Cyprinid fish from Myanmar (Pisces: Cypriniformes)". The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55 (1): 131–140. http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/55/55rbz131-140.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2008] Araiocypris batodes • a new genus and species of cyprinid fish (Ostariophysi: Cyprinidae) from Northern Vietnam

Araiocypris batodes

Conway & Kottelat, 2008

Araiocypris batodes is a very small cyprinid fish endemic to Vietnam.
It is the only known member of its genus.

Conway WK, Kottelat M (2008) Araiocypris batodes, a new genus and species of cyprinid fish from Northern Vietnam (Ostariophysi: Cyprinidae). Raffles Bull Zool. 56(1): 101– 105. http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/56/56rbz101-105.pdf

[Invertebrate • 2008] Microgeographic Evolution of Snail Shell Shape and Predator Behavior

FIG. 1. The Opisthostoma concinnum complex consists of 16 populations. All are restricted to small limestone outcrops along the lower Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The populations have been identified with five- or six-letter codes: BATANG (O. concinnum at Batangan), BODTAI (O. concinnum at Bod Tai), GOMcon (O. concinnum at Gomantong), GOMmir (O. mirabile at Gomantong), KAMPUN (O. concinnum at Batu Kampung), KERUAK (O. concinnum at Keruak), MATERI (O. concinnum at Materis), MAWAS (O. concinnum at Mawas), PANGI (O. concinnum at Pangi), QUARRY (O. concinnum at Quarry), TABAco (O. concinnum at Tandu Batu), TABAsi (O. simplex at Tandu Batu), TOMBEE (O. concinnum at the east side of Tomanggong Besar), TOMBEW (O. fraternum at the west side of Tomangong Besar), TOM-2 (O. concinnum at Tomanggong 2), TOMKEC (O. concinnum at Tomanggong Kecil). All populations are allopatric, except those from Gomantong, Tandu Batu, and Tomanggong Besar. (a) Representative individuals for all populations

Abstract

Genetic divergence in geographically isolated populations is a prerequisite for allopatric speciation, one of the most common modes of speciation. In ecologically equivalent populations existing within a small, environmentally homogeneous area, an important role for environmentally neutral divergence is often found or inferred. We studied a species complex of conspicuously shaped Opisthostoma land snails on scattered limestone outcrops within a small area of lowland rainforest in Borneo. We used shell morphometrics, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, and marks of predation to study the factors involved in allopatric divergence. We found that a striking geographic divergence exists in shell morphology, which is partly associated with neutral genetic divergence. We also found geographic differentiation in the behavior of the snails’ invertebrate predator and evidence of an evolutionary interaction

between aspects of shell shape and predator behavior. Our study shows that adaptation to biotic aspects of the environment may play a more important role in allopatric speciation than previously suspected, even on a geographically very small scale.

Key words: Adaptation, conchology, Gastropoda, Malaysia, Mollusca, Opisthostoma.

Schilthuizen, M., Van Til A., Salverda M., & et al (2006). Microgeographic evolution of snail shell shape and predator behavior. Evolution. 60, 1851-1858.: http://bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1554/06-114.1

[Invertebrate • 2003] Sexual selection on land snail shell ornamentation: a hypothesis that may explain shell diversity

Figure 2: Diversity of shell ornamentation in Bornean species of

the subgenus Plectostoma of the genus Opisthostoma.

Top row, from left to right: O. everettii, O. goniostoma, O. grandispinosum.

Middle row, from left to right: O. hosei, O. mirabile, O. pulchellum.

Bottom row, from left to right: O. lituus, O. shelfordi, O. stellasubis.

All drawings by J.J. Vermeulen.

Abstract

Background: Many groups of land snails show great interspecific diversity in shell ornamentation, which may include spines on the shell and flanges on the aperture. Such structures have been explained as camouflage or defence, but the possibility that they might be under sexual selection has not previously been explored.

Presentation of the hypothesis: The hypothesis that is presented consists of two parts. First, that shell ornamentation is the result of sexual selection. Second, that such sexual selection has caused the divergence in shell shape in different species.

Testing the hypothesis: The first part of the hypothesis may be tested by searching for sexual dimorphism in shell ornamentation in gonochoristic snails, by searching for increased variance in shell ornamentation relative to other shell traits, and by mate choice experiments using individuals with experimentally enhanced ornamentation. The second part of the hypothesis may be tested by comparing sister groups and correlating shell diversity with degree of polygamy.

Implications of the hypothesis: If the hypothesis were true, it would provide an explanation for the many cases of allopatric evolutionary radiation in snails, where shell diversity cannot be related to any niche differentiation or environmental differences.

Schilthuizen, M., 2003. Sexual selection on land snail shell ornamentation: a hypothesis that may explain shell diversity. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2003, 3: 13.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC165427/

[Invertebrate • 2007] Phuphania globosa • A new genus and new species of dyakiid snail (Pulmonata: Dyakiidae) from Phu Phan Range, NE Thailand

Phuphania globosa

The generic name Phuphania derives from the Phu Phan Mountains, where the snails comes from. The specific name globosa is a Latin word which means "spherical" or "globose".

Tumpeesuwan, C., F. Naggs and S. Panha. 2007. A new genus and new species of dyakiid snail (Pulmonata: Dyakiidae) from the Phu Phan Range, Northeastern Thailand. Raffles Bull. Zool., 55 (2) : 363-369. http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/55/55rbz363-369.pdf

http://www.siamensis.org/exsiam/8261.html

[Invertebrate • 2009] 11 new Everettia • Systematic revision of the genus Everettia (Gastropoda: Dyakiidae) in Sabah, northern Borneo

The species of the snail genus Everettia in the Malaysian state of Sabah are superficially similar and difficult to distinguish by their shells. This paper presents new data on the taxonomy and distribution of Everettia in Sabah that have accumulated since the revision by Godwin-Austen in 1891. By using morphological and molecular phylogenetic approaches, we reveal at least seventeen species of Everettia in Sabah, of which eleven are new to science, namely: Everettia layanglayang sp. nov., Everettia lapidini sp. nov., Everettia paulbasintali sp. nov., Everettia occidentalis sp. nov., Everettia jasilini sp. nov., Everettia safriei sp. nov., Everettia interior sp. nov., Everettia jucundior sp. nov., Everettia planispira sp. nov., Everettia monticola sp. nov., and Everettia dominiki sp. nov., and one new subspecies, namely, Everettia corrugata williamsi ssp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI and 16S, and nuclear ITS-1 sequences demonstrates the monophyly of most of the morphologically well-defined species. Our results show that certain aspects of classical morphologybased taxonomy for Everettia species, especially with regard to the unique combination of shell surface sculptures, animal head colour, and mantle pigmentation, are solid. A dichotomous key to the Sabah species and subspecies of Everettia is provided.

Keywords: biogeography – coloration – land snails – Malaysia – mantle pigmentation – molecular phylogeny – Mount Kinabalu – shell sculpture – South-east Asia

Liew T.-S., Schilthuizen M. & Vermeulen J. J. 2009. "Systematic revision of the genus Everettia Godwin-Austen, 1891 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Dyakiidae) in Sabah, northern Borneo". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 157(3): 515-550. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00526.x.

http://science.naturalis.nl/research/people/cv/schilthuizen/north-borneo-land-snails

[Invertebrate • 2008] The Slugs and Semislugs of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

As a part of an inventory of the terrestrial malacofauna of the Malaysian state of Sabah (northern Borneo), the slugs and semislugs were given particular attention. Except for several exotic and presumed exotic species, slugs and semislugs are generally rare and infrequently encountered, mostly at high altitudes, where several short-range endemics appear to exist. We describe one new species, viz: Ibycus rachelae nov. spec. (Ariophantidae). We furthermore present new records and characters for identification of other species, namely: the veronicellids Laevicaulis alte (Férussac, 1821), Valiguna flava (Heynemann, 1885), and Semperula wallacei (Issel, 1874), the rathouisiid Atopos punctata Collinge, 1902, the ariophantids Microparmarion pollonerai Collinge & Godwin Austen, 1895, M. simrothi Collinge & Godwin Austen, 1895, Parmarion martensi Simroth, 1893, and Philippinella möllendorffi (Collinge, 1899), the limacid Deroceras reticulatum (Müller, 1774), and the philomycids Meghimatium striatum (Van Hasselt, 1824), M. uniforme Laidlaw, 1937, and M. pictum (Stoliczka, 1872). For the genus Meghimatium, our taxonomy is based on a molecular phylogenetic reconstruction, which we present. Finally, we provide reports and illustrations on several species for which the available material is currently insufficient for formal identification, namely, an unidentified Atopos (Rathouisiidae), for which only juveniles (preying on Opisthostoma) were found, a second unidentified Atopos (Rathouisiidae) and an unidentified Microparmarion (Ariophantidae) for each of which only a single adult was available, as well as an unidentified Parmarion (Ariophantidae) known only from a photograph.

Key words: Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Veronicellidae, Rathouisidae, Ariophantidae, Limacidae,

Philomycidae, taxonomy, alien species, Sabah, Borneo

Schilthuizen, M. & Liew, T. S. 2008. The slugs and semislugs of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (Gastropoda, Pulmonata: Veronicellidae, Rathouisiidae, Ariophantidae, Limacidae, Philomycidae). Basteria. 72: 287–306.:

http://science.naturalis.nl/media/285893/schilthuizenliew2008.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2011] Three New Species of African Suckermouth Catfishes, Genus Chiloglanis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae), from the lower Malagarasi and Luiche Rivers of western Tanzania

Chiloglanis orthodontus is one of three new members of the genus described from the lower Malagarasi river basin, western Tanzania

Abstract

Recent fieldwork and review of existing collections containing Chiloglanis specimens from the lower Malagarasi and Luiche rivers in western Tanzania has revealed three new species that are readily distinguished from described congeners by external features. Two of the species, Chiloglanis igamba sp. nov., and Chiloglanis orthodontus sp. nov. are restricted to the Malagarasi basin. The third species, Chiloglanis kazumbei sp. nov., is more broadly distributed in both the Malagarasi and adjacent Luiche basin. A key to all described species within these two basins is presented, along with comments on the distribution and validity of nominal Chiloglanis species examined during this study.

Key words: valid species, Chiloglanis micropogon Poll 1952, Chiloglanis pojeri Poll 1944

Chiloglanis igamba

Etymology: The specific name refers to the type locality of this species, Igamba Falls on the Malagarasi River. This is the first major series of waterfalls encountered while navigating upriver from Lake Tanganyika, and is a potential site for a hydroelectric dam. Used as a noun in apposition.

Distribution: This species is known from two general localities in the lower Malagarasi River (the type locality at Igamba Falls (Fig. 2) and upriver near Uvinza), and is probably endemic to the basin. This species is most abundant within the Igamba Falls area and associated large rapids, and is much less common in smaller rapids both above and below these falls.

Chiloglanis kazumbei

Etymology: This species is eponymously named for Mr. George Kazumbe, an expert fisherman and friend from Kigoma, Tanzania. He has assisted the authors and several of our colleagues doing fieldwork in Tanzania, and we wish to honor him for his service.

Distribution: This species is known from both the lower Malagarasi River and adjacent Luiche River (Fig. 2), and is typically found in small to moderate sized rapids.

FIGURE 2. Map of the general area surrounding Lake Tanganyika showing the type localities of three new Chiloglanis species (white square & star) along with those of 16 additional Chiloglanis species previously described from the region (black circles). For those species displaying secondary sexual dimorphism of the caudal fin in adult males, a silhouette of the fin is illustrated.

Friel, J. P. and T. R. Vigloitta. 2011. Three New Species of African Suckermouth Catfishes, Genus Chiloglanis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae), from the lower Malagarasi and Luiche Rivers of western Tanzania. Zootaxa. 3063: 1-21.: http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt03063p021.pdf [Fulltext]

[Ichthyology • 2011] Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos & S. melanchros • 2 new Stigmatochromis from southern Lake Malaŵi

Abstract

Species of Stigmatochromis are haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malaŵi, and the genus currently includes four species, S. woodi (type species), S. modestus, S. pholidophorus, and S. pleurospilus. The latter two are known from only their holotypes. Herein, we describe two additional species, Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos and Stigmatochromis melanchros from southern Lake Malaŵi.

Keywords: haplochromine cichlids, sand-dwelling cichlids

Fig. 1 A, Stigmatochromis pholidophorus; adult individual (approximately 13 cm TL) at Chiofu Bay, Malaŵi in Lake Malaŵi. B, territorial male Stigmatochromis woodi (approximately 22 cm TL) guarding his sand bower at Luwala Reef, Malaŵi, Lake Malaŵi.

Fig. 2 Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos. A, PSU4774, holotype, 128.2 mm SL, off Domwe Island, Malaŵi, Lake Malaŵi. B, non-territorial male (approximately 12 cm TL) at Mumbo Island, Malaŵi, Lake Malaŵi.

Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos

Etymology: Specific epithet a noun in apposition from Greek makros meaning “long” and rhynchos meaning “snout,” referring to the elongated snout of this species.

Fig. 3 Stigmatochromis melanchros. A, PSU4944, holotype, 160.7 mm SL, Mazinzi Reef, Malaŵi, Lake Malaŵi. B, male (approximately 19 cm TL). C, female (approximately 17 cm TL) at Mazinzi Reef, Malaŵi, Lake Malaŵi.

Stigmatochromis melanchros

Etymology: Specific epithet is a noun in apposition derived from the Greek melas, meaning “black” and from khros meaning “skin” or “surface of body” in reference to the overall black color of the breeding males.

Remarks: Stigmatochromis melanchros is a piscivore that breeds in rocky reefs where territorial males defend the vertical face of a large boulder near the sandy bottom. This differs from the sympatric S. woodi; males of which build large bowers on the open sand away from any rocks (Fig. 1B).

Stauffer, J. R. Jr, Cleaver-Yoder, R. M. & Konings, A. F. 2011. Two new species of Stigmatochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi, Africa. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 124 (3): 212–222. DOI: 10.2988/10-30.1 : http://acrobat.com/app.html#d=LHZwrgK0ubSfW1B-J1E8NA