Orthochromis Explained

Orthochromis is a genus of relatively small haplochromine cichlids native to rivers and lakes in Eastern and Middle Africa. Most of its species are rheophilic.^[1]

As presently defined Orthochromis is polyphyletic.^[2] Some Orthochromis species were formerly included in Schwetzochromis.^[1]

Species

There are currently 14 recognized species in this genus:

• Orthochromis kalungwishiensis (Greenwood & Kullander, 1994)
• Orthochromis kasuluensis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis luichensis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis luongoensis (Greenwood & Kullander, 1994)
• Orthochromis machadoi (Poll, 1967) (Kunene Dwarf Happy)
• Orthochromis malagaraziensis (David, 1937)
• Orthochromis mazimeroensis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis mosoensis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis polyacanthus (Boulenger, 1899)
• Orthochromis rubrolabialis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis rugufuensis De Vos & Seegers, 1998
• Orthochromis stormsi (Boulenger, 1902)
• Orthochromis torrenticola (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1963)
• Orthochromis uvinzae De Vos & Seegers, 1998

References

• C.Michael Hogan. 2012. Kunene River. eds. P.Saundry & C.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC.

Notes and References

1. De Vos, L.; and L. Seegers (1998). Seven new Orthochromis species (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the Malagarasi, Luiche and Rugufu basins (Lake Tanganyika drainage), with notes on their reproductive biology. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 9: 371—420.
2. Schwarzer; Swartz; Vreven; Snoeks; Cotterill; Misof; and Schliewen (2012). Repeated trans-watershed hybridization among haplochromine cichlids (Cichlidae) was triggered by Neogene landscape evolution. Proc. R. Soc. B. 279: 4389—4398.